Semantic relations of the word in aphasics.
The study of the semantic relations of the word in aphasics was performed by an associative experiment applied in two samples, one of 20 aphasic patients and the other of 40 normal subjects. Following application of this associative experiment in normal subjects, a model design was achieved based on the hierarchy of the categories within the semantic field. In this model, the associations were grouped by meaning into semantic categories, while the categories were hierarchized according to the number of words included and to their frequency of association. Comparison of the single model design performed by each aphasic with the normal model design showed a deterioration of the semantic categories, hierarchy, but on a background of a marked reduction of the number of categories within the semantic field of the stimulus. The aphasics lost 2/3 of the associations found in normals but the functionality of the 1/3 left was decreased. This may be the basic reason for the unsuccessful word-finding process in aphasics.
Ogrezeanu
V
V
Institute of Neurology and Psychiatry, Bucharest, Romania.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000849:Anomia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001037:Aphasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012660:Semantics; D014936:Word Association Tests