Behavioural and neuroimaging changes after naming therapy for semantic variant primary progressive aphasia.
The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of a successful naming intervention on naming performance and brain activity in individuals with the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (svPPA). Four participants with svPPA were scanned while performing phonologically- and semantically-based tasks before and after an intense, 20-h naming therapy that followed the principles of errorless learning whereby errors were eliminated from the learning process. Five healthy control participants were scanned at the outset of the study and did not receive treatment. The results showed that in svPPA participants, successful re-learning of forgotten vocabulary was accompanied by activation of a larger network in bilateral brain regions and that the level of activation in the left anterior lobe may be inversely correlated with severity of semantic impairment. Our findings have implications for treatment in svPPA patients and suggest that semantic cues can improve naming, in spite of significant semantic impairment. The results indicate that intensive language therapy can lead to behavioural gains and neuroplastic changes even in individuals with more advanced anterior temporal lobe atrophy.
Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Canada; Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Canada; Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Canada. Electronic address: rjokel@baycrest.org.
Regina
R
Jokel
Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Canada.
Aneta
A
Kielar
Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Canada.
Nicole D
ND
Anderson
Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Canada; Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Medicine, (Neurology), University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Medicine (Neurology), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada.
Sandra E
SE
Black
Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Canada; Rehabilitation Institute, Toronto, Canada.
Elizabeth
E
Rochon
Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Simon
S
Graham
Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Canada; Department of Medicine, (Neurology), University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Canada; Mt. Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
Morris
M
Freedman
Department of Medicine, (Neurology), University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.
David F
DF
Tang-Wai
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018888:Aphasia, Primary Progressive / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005793:Generalization, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009275:Names; D059906:Neuroimaging; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010700:Phonetics; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012660:Semantics; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D010100:Oxygen
Fluent progressive aphasia; Language therapy; Neuroimaging; Neuroplasticity; Semantic impairment; Semantic variant ppa