Influence of intensive phonomotor rehabilitation on apraxia of speech.
In this phase I rehabilitation study, we investigated the effects of an intensive phonomotor rehabilitation program on verbal production in a 73-year-old male, 11 years postonset a left-hemisphere stroke, who exhibited apraxia of speech and aphasia. In the context of a single-subject design, we studied whether treatment would improve phoneme production and generalize to repetition of multisyllabic words, words of increasing length, discourse, and measures of self-report. We predicted that a predominant motor impairment would respond to intensive phonomotor rehabilitation. While able to learn to produce individual sounds, the subject did not exhibit generalization to other aspects of motor production. Discourse production was judged perceptually slower in rate and less effortful, but also less natural. Finally, self-report indicated less apprehension toward speaking with unfamiliar people, increased telephone use, and increased ease of communication.
Kendall
Diane L
DL
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Rehabilitation Research and Development Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, Malcom Randall VA Medical Center (VAMC), Gainesville, FL 32608-1197, USA. kendadl@neurology.ufl.edu
Rodriguez
Amy D
AD
Rosenbek
John C
JC
Conway
Tim
T
Gonzalez Rothi
Leslie J
LJ
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001072:Apraxias / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D010699:Phonation; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D013070:Speech Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome