Ultra-rapid access to words in chronic aphasia: the effects of intensive language action therapy (ILAT).
Effects of intensive language action therapy (ILAT) on automatic language processing were assessed using Magnetoencephalography (MEG). Auditory magnetic mismatch negativity (MMNm) responses to words and pseudowords were recorded in twelve patients with chronic aphasia before and immediately after two weeks of ILAT. Following therapy, Patients showed significant clinical improvements of auditory comprehension as measured by the Token Test and in word retrieval and naming as measured by the Boston Naming Test. Neuromagnetic responses dissociated between meaningful words and meaningless word-like stimuli ultra-rapidly, approximately 50 ms after acoustic information first allowed for stimulus identification. Over treatment, there was a significant increase in the left-lateralisation of this early word-elicited activation, observed in perilesional fronto-temporal regions. No comparable change was seen for pseudowords. The results may reflect successful, therapy-induced, language restitution in the left hemisphere.
Medical Research Council, Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, 15 Chaucer Road, Cambridge, CB2 7EF, UK, lucy.macgregor@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk.
Lucy J
LJ
MacGregor
Stephanie
S
Difrancesco
Friedemann
F
Pulvermüller
Yury
Y
Shtyrov
Bettina
B
Mohr
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001037:Aphasia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007807:Language Tests; D007808:Language Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*