Object naming and semantic knowledge in temporal lobe epilepsy.
Object-naming impairment is common among temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients, but other aspects of semantic memory have received limited attention in this population. This study examined object-naming ability and depth of semantic knowledge in healthy controls (n = 29) and patients with early onset TLE (n = 21). After administration of the Boston Naming Test (BNT), the authors asked participants to provide detailed definitions of 6 BNT objects. The TLE group demonstrated a significant deficit relative to controls in both object-naming ability and semantic knowledge for the target objects, even after controlling for IQ. In a multiple regression analysis that included other neuropsychological test scores as independent variables, the semantic knowledge score was the only significant predictor of patients' object-naming performance. Thus, at the group level, early onset TLE patients have a semantic knowledge deficit that contributes to dysnomia.
Bell
B D
BD
Matthews Neuropsychology Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53792, USA. Bell@neurology.wisc.edu
Hermann
B P
BP
Woodard
A R
AR
Jones
J E
JE
Rutecki
P A
PA
Sheth
R
R
Dow
C C
CC
Seidenberg
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000849:Anomia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D012660:Semantics