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Recent Advances in Assessment and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Communication...
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Recent Advances in Assessment and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Communication and Language Disorders

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neurolinguistics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 21722

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Dionysus Tafiadis

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Guest Editor
Department of Speech & Language Therapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
Interests: lifespan speech and language disorders; lifespan communication disorders; lifespan voice and swallowing disorders; assessment; intervention
Prof. Dr. Nafsika Ziavra

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Guest Editor
Department of Speech & Language Therapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
Interests: ENT; neurotology; vocology; rhinology; speech language therapy/pathology
Dr. Louiza Voniati

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Guest Editor
Department of Health Sciences, Speech and Language Therapy, European University, Nicosia, Cyprus
Interests: lifespan speech and language disorders; lifespan communication disorders; assess-ment; intervention
Dr. Angelos Papadopoulos

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Speech & Language Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
Interests: speech and language; pediatrics; autism spectrum disorders; QoL; assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, in the journal Brain Sciences, on ‘Recent Advances in Assessment and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Communication and Language Disorders’ aims to offer a platform to researchers, clinicians, and educators for disseminating recent cutting-edge clinical innovations and research on improving the diagnosis and treatment of people with a wide range of communication and language difficulties, including children and adults. This Special Issue welcomes submissions of original research articles, review papers, case studies, and clinical trials that shed light on novel assessment methods, intervention techniques, and rehabilitation approaches, particularly evidence-based interventions, for mitigating the effects of communication and learning disorders, thereby contributing to the improvement in the overall well-being and quality of life of people with such conditions.

All manuscripts submitted to this Special Issue will undergo a rigorous peer-review procedure to ensure the highest scientific standards and relevance.

Sincerely,

Dr. Dionysus Tafiadis
Prof. Dr. Nafsika Ziavra
Dr. Louiza Voniati
Guest Editors

Dr. Angelos Papadopoulos
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • lifespan speech and language disorders
  • lifespan communication disorders
  • lifespan voice and swallowing disorders
  • assessment
  • intervention

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 686 KiB  
Article
Exploring Narrative Ability in Greek-Speaking Children with High-Functioning ASD: Associations with Memory and Attention
by Vasiliki Zarokanellou, Alexandros Gryparis and Katerina Papanikolaou
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(1), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15010073 - 15 Jan 2025
Viewed by 634
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Narration is a sensitive tool for the assessment of language in children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HF-ASD) since mild language deficits beyond the sentential level are not always noticeable through the administration of standardized language tests targeting the lexical or [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Narration is a sensitive tool for the assessment of language in children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HF-ASD) since mild language deficits beyond the sentential level are not always noticeable through the administration of standardized language tests targeting the lexical or sentential level. This study investigated the narrative ability of monolingual Greek-speaking HF-ASD children in comparison to that of their typically developing (TD) peers and explored the associations between narrative variables, ADHD symptomatology, and memory skills in the participants on the autistic spectrum. Methods: The participants were 39 children aged 7 to 12 years, 19 with HF-ASD and 20 age-matched, vocabulary-matched, and cognitively matched TD peers. Results: The two groups were similar in most microstructural and macrostructural variables but differed significantly in syntactic complexity (p = 0.024; d = 0.754) and subordination (p < 0.001; d = −1.576) indices, implying that the HF-ASD group presented syntactic delay in comparison to their TD peers. The HF-ASD participants showed significantly higher heterogeneity in the amount of information generated for the story’s main character (p = 0.004; d = −0.093) in comparison to their TD peers. Significant associations were observed between verbal and visual memory, complex syntactic structures, and Theory of Mind-related internal state terms. ADHD symptomatology was negatively correlated with the generation of simple and coordinated clauses. Finally, complex syntax and delayed vSTM were correlated with retelling total scores, indicating that language ability and verbal memory compensate for narrative competence in HF-ASD children. Conclusions: The findings highlight the impact that language skills, memory ability, and ADHD symptomatology have on narrative competence in children with HF-ASD, as well as the importance of narrative use for assessing the language skills in populations with mild language impairment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Assessment and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Communication and Language Disorders)
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13 pages, 1023 KiB  
Article
Multilingual Prediction of Cognitive Impairment with Large Language Models and Speech Analysis
by Felix Agbavor and Hualou Liang
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(12), 1292; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14121292 - 22 Dec 2024
Viewed by 769
Abstract
Background: Cognitive impairment poses a significant global health challenge, emphasizing the critical need for early detection and intervention. Traditional diagnostics like neuroimaging and clinical evaluations are often subjective, costly, and inaccessible, especially in resource-poor settings. Previous research has focused on speech analysis primarily [...] Read more.
Background: Cognitive impairment poses a significant global health challenge, emphasizing the critical need for early detection and intervention. Traditional diagnostics like neuroimaging and clinical evaluations are often subjective, costly, and inaccessible, especially in resource-poor settings. Previous research has focused on speech analysis primarily conducted using English data, leaving multilingual settings unexplored. Methods: In this study, we present our results from the INTERSPEECH 2024 TAUKADIAL Challenge, where we aimed to automatically detect mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and predict cognitive scores for English and Chinese speakers (169 in total). Our approach leverages Whisper, a speech foundation model, to extract language-agnostic speech embeddings. We then utilize ensemble models to incorporate task-specific information. Results: Our model achieved unweighted average recall of 81.83% in an MCI classification task, and root mean squared error of 1.196 in cognitive score prediction task, which placed the model at the second and the first position, respectively, in the ranking for each task. Comparison between language-agnostic and language-specific models reveals the importance of capturing language-specific nuances for accurate cognitive impairment prediction. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of language-specific ensemble modeling with Whisper embeddings in enabling scalable, non-invasive cognitive health assessments of Alzheimer’s disease, achieving state-of-the-art results in multilingual settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Assessment and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Communication and Language Disorders)
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19 pages, 1443 KiB  
Article
Cognitive vs. Linguistic Training in Children with Developmental Language Disorder: Exploring Their Effectiveness on Verbal Short-Term Memory and Verbal Working Memory
by Theodora Bachourou, Stavroula Stavrakaki, Vasiliki Koukoulioti and Ioanna Talli
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(6), 580; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14060580 - 5 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1836
Abstract
The present study explores comparatively the effectiveness of a cognitive (verbal short-term memory (vSTM), verbal working memory (vWM)) and of a linguistic training (10-week duration each) in the diffusion of gains in cognitive abilities (vSTM and vWM) of in school-aged Greek-speaking children with [...] Read more.
The present study explores comparatively the effectiveness of a cognitive (verbal short-term memory (vSTM), verbal working memory (vWM)) and of a linguistic training (10-week duration each) in the diffusion of gains in cognitive abilities (vSTM and vWM) of in school-aged Greek-speaking children with developmental language disorder (DLD). To this purpose, two computerized training programs i.e., a linguistic and a cognitive one, were developed and applied to three groups (A, B, and C) of children with DLD (N = 49, in total). There were three assessments with two vSTM tasks (non-word repetition and forward digit span) and a vWM task (backward digit span): pre-therapeutically (time 1), where no significant between-group differences were found, post-therapeutically I (time 2), and post-therapeutically II (time 3) and two training phases. In phase Ι, group A received meta-syntactic training, whereas group B vSTM/vWM training and group C received no training. In phase ΙΙ, a reversal of treatment was performed for groups A and B: group A received vSTM/vWM while group B meta-syntactic training. Again, group C received no training. Overall, the results indicated a significant performance improvement for the treatment groups and revealed beneficial far-transfer effects as language therapy can affect vSTM and vWM in addition to direct and near transfer effects. In addition, the intervention type order affected performance as follows: first, better performance on the vSTM task (non-word repetition) was shown when the linguistic treatment was delivered first; second, better performance on the vWM in Time 2 and Time 3 was shown by group B, for which the cognitive treatment was delivered first. Concluding, not only intervention type but also intervention type order can affect performance in DLD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Assessment and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Communication and Language Disorders)
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12 pages, 2776 KiB  
Article
A Greek Pediatric Word Recognition Test by Picture Identification
by Nikolaos Trimmis, Konstantina Chatzi, Vasiliki Grammatsoulia, Foteini Feida, Konstantinos Mourtzouchos, Angelos Papadopoulos and Panagiotis Plotas
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(12), 1643; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13121643 - 27 Nov 2023
Viewed by 2070
Abstract
(1) Background: The study aimed to construct a clinically valuable closet-set WRS test with a picture identification task for young Greek-speaking children. (2) Methods: The test material was meticulously designed based on specific criteria. To determine which parts of speech are used more [...] Read more.
(1) Background: The study aimed to construct a clinically valuable closet-set WRS test with a picture identification task for young Greek-speaking children. (2) Methods: The test material was meticulously designed based on specific criteria. To determine which parts of speech are used more frequently by preschool children, a spontaneous speech sample (250 words per child) was acquired from three hundred children aged 3 to 6 years (M = 4.56, SD = 0.90). The study involved the development and application of two phonemically balanced 50-word lists suitable for young children, as well as the creation of picture representations for each response set. All testing was accomplished in an audiometric booth that exceeded the audiometric rooms’ ambient noise level standards. The speech signal was routed from a laptop computer to a GSI 61 audiometer, and all test items were delivered from the audiometer to the subject. (3) Results: The results indicated that materials for a WRS test for young children are developed with high face validity and are applicable for children as young as three years old. The test satisfies the essential components needed for a WRS test. It consists of two phonemically balanced 50-word lists with low-redundancy bisyllabic words, with each list containing 227 phonemes. (5) Conclusions: This novel closed-set WRS test presents a valuable tool for assessing speech perception skills in young Greek-speaking children. The test results have various applications, including diagnosis, research, and (re)habilitation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Assessment and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Communication and Language Disorders)
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Review

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16 pages, 721 KiB  
Review
The Effectiveness of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD) on Children’s Speech and Voice: A Scoping Review
by Angelos Papadopoulos, Louiza Voniati, Nafsika Ziavra and Dionysios Tafiadis
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(9), 937; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14090937 - 19 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2676
Abstract
Background: This scoping review had as a primary goal a review of the literature and the an analysis of the possible effectiveness of the LSVT LOUD approach in children with voice and speech deficits. Methods: A search was conducted in the Scopus and [...] Read more.
Background: This scoping review had as a primary goal a review of the literature and the an analysis of the possible effectiveness of the LSVT LOUD approach in children with voice and speech deficits. Methods: A search was conducted in the Scopus and PubMed databases in May of 2024. Eleven articles were obtained from the search. The standards of PRISMA recommendations were used for scoping reviews and the PCC framework was used for the eligibility criteria. Furthermore, the study used the instructions in the Cochrane Handbook for a quality assessment. The Mendeley Reference Manager software collected the studies and removed duplicates. Results: The reviewed studies employed formal and informal measures to assess voice and speech abilities in the children. Regarding the sample’s characteristics, the studies mostly included children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and also those with Down Syndrome (DS). All the studies reported that children with CP and DS undertook a total dose of the LSVT LOUD treatment. Significant post-treatment findings indicated increased speech function and sound pressure level, regarding the auditory–perceptual ratings of voice and speech improvement. In many studies, parents’ and expert listeners’ ratings of voice, perception of vocal loudness, speech, and communication indicated improvement. Conclusions: The majority of the included studies provide positive evidence for the LSVT as an approach. However, the small sample size that featured in the studies, as well as their limitations, made these conclusions uncertain. Moreover, the study’s findings provided recommendations that speech language therapists and other clinicians need to follow when setting a treatment plan with children with CP and DS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Assessment and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Communication and Language Disorders)
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13 pages, 2296 KiB  
Review
Update on How to Approach a Patient with Locked-In Syndrome and Their Communication Ability
by Kaitlyn Voity, Tara Lopez, Jessie P. Chan and Brian D. Greenwald
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(1), 92; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14010092 - 17 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4278
Abstract
Locked-in syndrome (LIS) is a rare and challenging condition that results in tetraplegia and cranial nerve paralysis while maintaining consciousness and variable cognitive function. Once acute management is completed, it is important to work with the patient on developing a plan to maintain [...] Read more.
Locked-in syndrome (LIS) is a rare and challenging condition that results in tetraplegia and cranial nerve paralysis while maintaining consciousness and variable cognitive function. Once acute management is completed, it is important to work with the patient on developing a plan to maintain and improve their quality of life (QOL). A key component towards increasing or maintaining QOL within this population involves the establishment of a functional communication system. Evaluating cognition in patients with LIS is vital for evaluating patients’ communication needs along with physical rehabilitation to maximize their QOL. In the past decade or so, there has been an increase in research surrounding brain–computer interfaces to improve communication abilities for paralyzed patients. This article provides an update on the available technology and the protocol for finding the best way for patients with this condition to communicate. This article aims to increase knowledge of how to enhance and manage communication among LIS patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Assessment and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Communication and Language Disorders)
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Other

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19 pages, 660 KiB  
Systematic Review
Computer- and Smart-Tablet-Based Self-Administered Treatments in Chronic Post-Stroke Aphasia: A Systematic Review
by Célia Ericson, Alisa Latysheva, Sarah-Ève Poirier and Marion Fossard
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(2), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15020122 - 26 Jan 2025
Viewed by 433
Abstract
Background: In current clinical practice, resources remain limited and are insufficient to address the needs of people with chronic post-stroke aphasia. To improve access to speech therapy, self-administered therapies using computers or smart tablets are increasingly recommended. In addition to enabling more intensive [...] Read more.
Background: In current clinical practice, resources remain limited and are insufficient to address the needs of people with chronic post-stroke aphasia. To improve access to speech therapy, self-administered therapies using computers or smart tablets are increasingly recommended. In addition to enabling more intensive and prolonged treatment, computer- and smart-tablet-delivered therapies can be highly enjoyable and motivating for patients. Aims: This systematic review aimed to identify computer- and smart-tablet-based self-administered treatments and analyze the proposed interventions in terms of treatment targets, effectiveness (considering specificity, generalization, transfer, and maintenance), and clinician involvement (during and/or prior self-administered therapies). Methods: Terms encompassing three main concepts (rehabilitation, self-administration, and aphasia) were used to search three electronic databases (Scopus, PubMed, and PsycINFO). Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts against eligibility criteria. Data extraction of included studies was completed by three reviewers. Results: Thirty-nine studies were included in this study. In terms of treatment targets, anomia is the most treated symptom in published studies (n = 24), but the existence of promising studies for other disorders means that the targets can be broadened. Therapies are effective for trained items, and gains are maintained. There is some evidence of transfer effects for treatments targeting the sentence level. Most studies offer training sessions, previous self-administered therapy, and/or observation and monitoring sessions during therapy; more rarely, self-administered therapy is supplemented with face-to-face therapy. Conclusions: This systematic review is the first to focus specifically on self-administered technology-based therapies. It provides important evidence-based information for clinical practice in self-administered therapies via computer or smart tablet. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Assessment and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Communication and Language Disorders)
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26 pages, 898 KiB  
Systematic Review
Efficacy of rTMS Combined with Cognitive and Language Training in People Living with Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review
by Eleni-Nefeli Georgopoulou, Anastasia Nousia, Maria Martzoukou, Nefeli K. Dimitriou, Ioannis Liampas, Lambros Messinis and Grigorios Nasios
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(9), 891; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14090891 - 31 Aug 2024
Viewed by 2121
Abstract
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation method that has been suggested as a possible treatment method for cognitive impairment in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (pwAD), similar to multidomain cognitive training (CT). The effectiveness, however, of combining these techniques for [...] Read more.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation method that has been suggested as a possible treatment method for cognitive impairment in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (pwAD), similar to multidomain cognitive training (CT). The effectiveness, however, of combining these techniques for pwAD remains controversial due to the variability in rTMS parameters, differences in CT protocol designs—many of which neglect the language domain—and the inclusion of patients at various stages of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and with different types of dementia. The current review aims to evaluate the cognitive benefits of combining rTMS with CT, including language training, for individuals with mild to moderate AD. An extensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library with relevant terms, resulting in nine studies with a total of 290 participants [190 in the Active Group (AG) and 100 in the Control Group (CG)]. The comprehensive review of the articles revealed that the combined treatment improved global cognitive function, as well as neurocognitive, neuropsychiatric, and quality of life in the AG. Nevertheless, these results should be interpreted cautiously, given the relatively small number of existing studies on this specific combination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Assessment and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Communication and Language Disorders)
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7 pages, 185 KiB  
Brief Report
On the Dynamics of Inferential Behavior while Reading Expository and Narrative Texts
by Yongseok Yoo
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(5), 428; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14050428 - 26 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1104
Abstract
Inference plays a key role in reading comprehension. This study examines changes in inferential behavior while reading different genres. The inferential behavior of 28 students with reading disabilities (RDs) and 44 students without RDs was quantified while they read expository and narrative texts. [...] Read more.
Inference plays a key role in reading comprehension. This study examines changes in inferential behavior while reading different genres. The inferential behavior of 28 students with reading disabilities (RDs) and 44 students without RDs was quantified while they read expository and narrative texts. First, the average rates of inference attempts and correct inferences were measured during reading. Then, the same rates were measured separately during early and late reading to see if there was a change in inferential behavior. The results show that the change in inferential behavior depends on the genre. While reading the expository text, both groups showed no significant change in their inference making. In contrast, while reading the narrative text, both groups showed higher rates of inference attempts, and only the students without RD showed a significant increase in correct inferences. The implications of these findings for the design of more engaging and effective reading programs are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Assessment and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Communication and Language Disorders)
17 pages, 680 KiB  
Systematic Review
Evidence of Language Development Using Brief Animated Stimuli: A Systematic Review
by Triantafyllia I. Vlachou, Maria Kambanaros, Panagiotis Plotas and Voula Chris Georgopoulos
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(2), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14020150 - 31 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1872
Abstract
There is limited evidence regarding the effect of animation compared to static pictures on children’s language development. The aim was to systematically review the available literature for evidence concerning the effect of brief animation on spoken language responses (receptive—listening or expressive—speaking) in typically [...] Read more.
There is limited evidence regarding the effect of animation compared to static pictures on children’s language development. The aim was to systematically review the available literature for evidence concerning the effect of brief animation on spoken language responses (receptive—listening or expressive—speaking) in typically developing (TD) children aged 3 to 9 years. Five databases were searched, resulting in seven included studies. The characteristics of animated stimuli, the manner of presentation, and the language-related tasks were recorded, and questions were posed about the effect of brief animation on children’s receptive and expressive language abilities. The evidence suggests that animation may have a positive effect on expressive language abilities of children compared to static pictures. As far as the effect of animation on receptive language performance is concerned, the evidence is less concrete. Future directions regarding the potential of animation on language development are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Assessment and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Communication and Language Disorders)
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22 pages, 5925 KiB  
Case Report
High-Frequency Language Therapy with Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS): A Longitudinal Single-Case Report of Semantic Variant of Primary Progressive Aphasia (svPPA)
by Katharina Strunk, Sabine Weiss and Horst M. Müller
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(2), 133; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14020133 - 27 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2381
Abstract
Background: The goal of this study was to investigate whether the combination of semantic feature analysis (SFA) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is effective in treating word retrieval in the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (svPPA) and how long the potential [...] Read more.
Background: The goal of this study was to investigate whether the combination of semantic feature analysis (SFA) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is effective in treating word retrieval in the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (svPPA) and how long the potential effects last. Methods: A 56-year-old woman diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and svPPA participated in this longitudinal single-subject design. A total of four 2-week stimulation phases were conducted over a 14-month period, each of which was started depending on the participant’s language performance. Follow-up testing was conducted shortly after the stimulation period, approximately 2 weeks, and approximately 4 weeks thereafter. Results: Significant improvement in word retrieval occurred after SFA and tDCS therapy. Two weeks after the end of each stimulation phase, approx. 80% of the trained words could be named correctly. For the untrained words, also significantly more words were correctly named at follow-ups compared to the baseline. Furthermore, the Boston Naming Test (BNT) demonstrated a significant increase in naming performance and showed that phonological cues facilitated word retrieval compared to semantic cues. Conclusion: The combination of SFA and tDCS was able to counteract the expected language deterioration of a participant with svPPA. This effect increased until approximately 2 weeks after each intervention. In addition, a generalization of the effect to untrained words was shown. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Assessment and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Communication and Language Disorders)
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