title: Changes in functional connectivity related to direct training and generalization effects of a word finding treatment in chronic aphasia.
abstract: The neural mechanisms that underlie generalization of treatment-induced improvements in word finding in persons with aphasia (PWA) are currently poorly understood. This study aimed to shed light on changes in functional network connectivity underlying generalization in aphasia. To this end, we used fMRI and graph theoretic analyses to examine changes in functional connectivity after a theoretically-based word-finding treatment in which abstract words were used as training items with the goal of promoting generalization to concrete words. Ten right-handed native English-speaking PWA (7 male, 3 female) ranging in age from 47 to 75 (mean=59) participated in this study. Direct training effects coincided with increased functional connectivity for regions involved in abstract word processing. Generalization effects coincided with increased functional connectivity for regions involved in concrete word processing. Importantly, similarities between training and generalization effects were noted as were differences between participants who generalized and those who did not.
authors.affiliation: Boston University, Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, 635 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, USA. Electronic address: cws18@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Chaleece W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.affiliation: Boston University, Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, 635 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Jason W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bohland
authors.affiliation: Boston University, Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, 635 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Swathi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiran
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001037:Aphasia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity
keywords: Aphasia; Functional connectivity; Generalization; Neuroplasticity; Treatment; fMRI