Story Grammar Analyses Capture Discourse Improvement in the First 2 Years Following a Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

PURPOSE: Narration within a story grammar framework requires speakers to organize characters and events logically. Despite abundant research characterizing narrative deficits following a traumatic brain injury (TBI), the evolution of narrative story grammar over the first 2 years post-TBI has rarely been explored. This study analyzed story grammar in complex narratives of adults with and without severe TBI to (a) examine between-group differences and (b) investigate longitudinal changes over the first 2 years post-TBI. METHOD: Story grammar analyses of Cinderella narratives from 57 participants with TBI and 57 participants with no brain injury yielded measures of productivity (total number of episodes, total number of story grammar elements), elaboration (total number of elaborated-complete episodes, mean number of episodic elements per episode), and completeness (total number of incomplete episodes). Mann-Whitney U tests compared measures across groups; generalized estimating equation (GEE) models identified predictors of change, including recovery time (3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 months post-TBI) and demographic/injury-related characteristics. RESULTS: Between-group differences were statistically significant for all productivity and elaboration measures at 3, 6, and 9 months post-TBI; one productivity measure and one elaboration measure at 12 months; and none of the measures at 24 months. GEE models showed significant improvements in all productivity and elaboration measures over the first 24 months post-TBI, with educational attainment and duration of posttraumatic amnesia affecting recovery. Incomplete episodes only showed between-group differences at 12 months and did not capture recovery. CONCLUSION: Productivity and elaboration are key story grammar variables that (a) differentiate complex narration in individuals with and without severe TBI and (b) capture narrative improvements over the first 2 years post-TBI. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25148999.

Methodologies for assessing morphosyntactic ability in people with Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: The detection and description of language impairments in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's Disease (AD) play an important role in research, clinical diagnosis and intervention. Various methodological protocols have been implemented for the assessment of morphosyntactic abilities in AD; narrative discourse elicitation tasks and structured experimental tasks for production, offline and online structured experimental tasks for comprehension. Very few studies implement and compare different methodological protocols; thus, little is known about the advantages and disadvantages of each methodology. AIMS: To discuss and compare the main behavioral methodological approaches and tasks that have been used in psycholinguistic research to assess different aspects of morphosyntactic production and comprehension in individuals with AD at the word and sentence levels. METHODS: A narrative review was conducted through searches in the scientific databases Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct, MITCogNet, PubMed. Only studies written in English, that reported quantitative data and were published in peer-reviewed journals were considered with respect to their methodological protocol. Moreover, we considered studies that reported research on all stages of the disease and we included only studies that also reported results of a healthy control group. Studies that implemented standardized assessment tools were not considered in this review. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: The main narrative discourse elicitation tasks implemented for the assessment of morphosyntactic production include interviews, picture-description and story narration, whereas the main structured experimental tasks include sentence completion, constrained sentence production, sentence repetition and naming. Morphosyntactic comprehension in AD has been assessed with the use of structured experimental tasks, both offline (sentence-picture matching, grammaticality judgment) and online (cross-modal naming,speeded sentence acceptability judgment, auditory moving window, word detection, reading). For each task we considered studies that reported results from different morphosyntactic structures and phenomena in as many different languages as possible. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: Our review revealed strengths and weaknesses of these methods but also directions for future research. Narrative discourse elicitation tasks as well as structured experimental tasks have been used in a variety of languages, and have uncovered preserved morphosyntactic production but also deficits in people with AD. A combination of narrative discourse elicitation and structured production tasks for the assessment of the same morphosyntactic structure has been rarely used. Regarding comprehension, offline tasks have been implemented in various languages, whereas online tasks have been mainly used in English. Offline and online experimental paradigms have often produced contradictory results even within the same study. The discrepancy between the two paradigms has been attributed to the different working memory demands they impose to the comprehender or to the different parsing processes they tap. Strengths and shortcomings of each methodology are summarized in the paper, and comparisons between different tasks are attempted when this is possible. Thus, the paper may serve as a methodological guide for the study of morphosyntax in AD and possibly in other neurodegenerative diseases. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject For the assessment of morphosyntactic abilities in AD, various methodological paradigms have been implemented: narrative discourse elicitation tasks and structured experimental tasks for production, and offline and online structured experimental tasks for comprehension. Very few studies implement and compare different methodological protocols; thus, little is known about the advantages and disadvantages of each methodology. What this paper adds to existing knowledge The paper presents an overview of methodologies that have been used to assess morphosyntactic production and comprehension of people with AD at the word and sentence levels. The paper summarizes the strengths and shortcomings of each methodology, providing both the researcher and the clinician with some directions in their endeavour of investigating language in AD. Also, the paper highlights the need for further research that will implement carefully scrutinized tasks from various experimental paradigms and will explore distinct aspects of the AD patients' morphosyntactic abilities in typologically different languages. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The paper may serve as a reference point for (psycho-)linguists who wish to study morphosyntactic abilities in AD, and for speech and language therapists who might need to apply morphosyntactic protocols to their patients in order to assess them or design appropriate therapeutic interventions for production and comprehension deficits.

An Exploratory Study of Pragmatic Language Use Across Contexts With the Pragmatic Rating Scale-School Age Among Autistic Boys and Boys With Fragile X Syndrome Plus Autism.

PURPOSE: Autistic boys and boys with co-occurring fragile X syndrome and autism spectrum disorder (FXS + ASD) demonstrate similar pragmatic language difficulties. The Pragmatic Rating Scale-School Age (PRS-SA) captures ecologically valid metrics of pragmatic language impairments in these populations. It is traditionally scored based on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), which may limit the use of the PRS-SA more broadly in research and clinical contexts. METHOD: This study evaluated the feasibility of the PRS-SA based on a shorter, semistructured conversational context compared to the ADOS in school-age autistic boys (n = 16) and boys with FXS + ASD (n = 16), matched on ASD traits. Differences across ADOS and conversational contexts and associations with ASD-related social difficulties were evaluated. RESULTS: Findings revealed differences in PRS-SA scores between ADOS and conversational contexts, but only for the FXS + ASD group. Limited associations were observed between PRS-SA scores and ASD traits. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study indicate the feasibility of using the PRS-SA in a shorter conversational context than the ADOS to assess pragmatic language among autistic boys. For boys with FXS + ASD, contextual differences warrant careful consideration in future work.

Determinación de intersecciones probabilísticas relacionadas con daño cerebral adquirido a partir de la determinación de probabilidades a priori y a posteriori.

BACKGROUND: The acquired brain damage is a common neurological disorder. OBJECTIVE: Determine the probabilistic intersections of variables related to acquired brain damage from the determination of a priori and a posteriori probabilities. METHOD: Analytical retrospective study. A descriptive analysis was carried out, confidence intervals were calculated to obtain the mean and the proportion with α = 0.05 considering the age of the patient and the diagnosis. An analysis of probabilistic intersection, a priori and a posteriori probability was performed considering diagnosis, sex and age decade; finally, chi squared was calculated. RESULTS: 736 patients were analyzed. The most frequent diagnosis was language disorder. The patients diagnosed with memory disorder were the youngest and those diagnosed with degenerative cognitive disorder the oldest. The probability that a patient with sequelae due to acquired brain damage arrives at the hospital, at the language pathology service, to be diagnosed with a language disorder and that this patient is also a man is 29.06%. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of short and long-term disability generated by acquired brain damage highlights the importance of an early and timely detection and diagnosis so that it favors prompt and efficient specialized care.

ANTECEDENTES: El daño cerebral adquirido es un trastorno neurológico común. OBJETIVO: Determinar las intersecciones probabilísticas de variables relacionadas con daño cerebral adquirido a partir de la determinación de probabilidades a priori y a posteriori. MÉTODO: Estudio retrospectivo analítico. Se realizó análisis descriptivo y se calcularon intervalos de confianza para la media y para la proporción con α = 0.05 considerando la edad del paciente y el diagnóstico. Se realizó análisis de intersección probabilística, probabilidad a priori y a posteriori considerando el diagnóstico, el sexo y la década de edad; por último, se utilizó la prueba χ2. RESULTADOS: Se analizaron 736 pacientes. El diagnóstico más frecuente fue el trastorno del lenguaje. Los pacientes diagnosticados con trastorno de memoria fueron los más jóvenes y los diagnosticados con trastorno cognitivo degenerativo los más longevos. La probabilidad de que llegue al hospital, al servicio de patología de lenguaje, un paciente con secuelas por daño cerebral adquirido, sea diagnosticado con trastorno del lenguaje y sea hombre es del 29.06%. CONCLUSIONES: La alta prevalencia de discapacidad a corto y largo plazo generada por el daño cerebral adquirido indica la importancia de la detección y el diagnóstico temprano y oportuno que favorezcan una pronta y eficiente atención especializada.

Speech and Language Therapy for Acquired Central Dysgraphia in Neurological Patients: A Systematic Review to Describe and Identify Trainings for Clinical Practice.

PURPOSE: Acquired central dysgraphia is a heterogeneous neurological disorder that usually co-occurs with other language disorders. Written language training is relevant to improve everyday skills and as a compensatory strategy to support limited oral communication. A systematic evaluation of existing writing treatments is thus needed. METHOD: We performed a systematic review of speech and language therapies for acquired dysgraphia in studies of neurological diseases (PROSPERO: CRD42018084221), following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) checklist with a search on several databases for articles written in English and published until August 31, 2021. Only methodological well-designed studies were included. Further assessment of methodological quality was conducted by means of a modified version of the Downs and Black checklist. RESULTS: Eleven studies of 43 patients in total were included. For each study, we collected data on type of population, type of impairment, experimental design, type of treatment, and measured outcomes. The studies had a medium level of assessed methodological quality. An informative description of treatments and linkages to deficits is reported. CONCLUSIONS: Although there is a need for further experimental evidence, most treatments showed good applicability and improvement of written skills in patients with dysgraphia. Lexical treatments appear to be more frequently adopted and more flexible in improving dysgraphia and communication, especially when a multimodal approach is used. Finally, the reported description of treatment modalities for dysgraphia in relation to patients' deficits may be important for providing tailored therapies in clinical management.

The Generalizability of Longitudinal Changes in Speech Before Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Language impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been widely studied but due to limited data availability, relatively few studies have focused on the longitudinal change in language in the individuals who later develop AD. Significant differences in speech have previously been found by comparing the press conference transcripts of President Bush and President Reagan, who was later diagnosed with AD. OBJECTIVE: In the current study, we explored whether the patterns previously established in the single AD-healthy control (HC) participant pair apply to a larger group of individuals who later receive AD diagnosis. METHODS: We replicated previous methods on two larger corpora of longitudinal spontaneous speech samples of public figures, consisting of 10 and 9 AD-HC participant pairs. As we failed to find generalizable patterns of language change using previous methodology, we proposed alternative methods for data analysis, investigating the benefits of using different language features and their change with age, and compiling the single features into aggregate scores. RESULTS: The single features that showed the strongest results were moving average type:token ratio (MATTR) and pronoun-related features. The aggregate scores performed better than the single features, with lexical diversity capturing a similar change in two-thirds of the participants. CONCLUSION: Capturing universal patterns of language change prior to AD can be challenging, but the decline in lexical diversity and changes in MATTR and pronoun-related features act as promising measures that reflect the cognitive changes in many participants.

Involvement of Thalamocortical Networks in Patients With Poststroke Thalamic Aphasia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Theories assume that thalamic stroke may cause aphasia because of dysfunction in connected cortical networks. This takes into account that brain functions are organized in distributed networks, and in turn, localized damage may result in a network disorder such as thalamic aphasia. With this study, we investigate whether the integration of the thalamus into specific thalamocortical networks underlies symptoms after thalamic stroke. We hypothesize that thalamic lesions in patients with language impairments are functionally connected to cortical networks for language and cognition. METHODS: We combined nonparametric lesion mapping methods in a retrospective cohort of patients with acute or subacute first-ever thalamic stroke. A relationship between lesion location and language impairments was assessed using nonparametric voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping. This method reveals regions more frequently damaged in patients with compared with those without a symptom of interest. To test whether these symptoms are linked to a common thalamocortical network, we additionally performed lesion-network-symptom mapping. This method uses normative connectome data from resting-state fMRI of healthy participants (n = 65) for functional connectivity analyses, with lesion sites serving as seeds. Resulting lesion-dependent network connectivity of patients with language impairments was compared with those with motor and sensory deficits as baseline. RESULTS: A total of 101 patients (mean [SD] age 64.1 [14.6] years, 57 left, 42 right, and 2 bilateral lesions) were included in the study. Voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping showed an association of language impairments with damage to left mediodorsal thalamic nucleus lesions. Lesion-network-symptom mapping revealed that language compared with sensory deficits were associated with higher normative lesion-dependent network connectivity to left frontotemporal language networks and bilateral prefrontal, insulo-opercular, midline cingular, and parietal domain-general networks. Lesions related to motor and sensory deficits showed higher lesion-dependent network connectivity within the sensorimotor network spanning prefrontal, precentral, and postcentral cortices. DISCUSSION: Thalamic aphasia relates to lesions in the left mediodorsal thalamic nucleus and to functionally connected left cortical language and bilateral cortical networks for cognitive control. This suggests that dysfunction in thalamocortical networks contributes to thalamic aphasia. We propose that inefficient integration between otherwise undamaged domain-general and language networks may cause thalamic aphasia.

Language patterns in Japanese patients with Alzheimer disease: A machine learning approach.

AIM: The authors applied natural language processing and machine learning to explore the disease-related language patterns that warrant objective measures for assessing language ability in Japanese patients with Alzheimer disease (AD), while most previous studies have used large publicly available data sets in Euro-American languages. METHODS: The authors obtained 276 speech samples from 42 patients with AD and 52 healthy controls, aged 50 years or older. A natural language processing library for Python was used, spaCy, with an add-on library, GiNZA, which is a Japanese parser based on Universal Dependencies designed to facilitate multilingual parser development. The authors used eXtreme Gradient Boosting for our classification algorithm. Each unit of part-of-speech and dependency was tagged and counted to create features such as tag-frequency and tag-to-tag transition-frequency. Each feature's importance was computed during the 100-fold repeated random subsampling validation and averaged. RESULTS: The model resulted in an accuracy of 0.84 (SD = 0.06), and an area under the curve of 0.90 (SD = 0.03). Among the features that were important for such predictions, seven of the top 10 features were related to part-of-speech, while the remaining three were related to dependency. A box plot analysis demonstrated that the appearance rates of content words-related features were lower among the patients, whereas those with stagnation-related features were higher. CONCLUSION: The current study demonstrated a promising level of accuracy for predicting AD and found the language patterns corresponding to the type of lexical-semantic decline known as 'empty speech', which is regarded as a characteristic of AD.

Using in vivo functional and structural connectivity to predict chronic stroke aphasia deficits.

Focal brain damage caused by stroke can result in aphasia and advances in cognitive neuroscience suggest that impairment may be associated with network-level disorder rather than just circumscribed cortical damage. Several studies have shown meaningful relationships between brain-behaviour using lesions; however, only a handful of studies have incorporated in vivo structural and functional connectivity. Patients with chronic post-stroke aphasia were assessed with structural (n = 68) and functional (n = 39) MRI to assess whether predicting performance can be improved with multiple modalities and if additional variance can be explained compared to lesion models alone. These neural measurements were used to construct models to predict four key language-cognitive factors: (i) phonology; (ii) semantics; (iii) executive function; and (iv) fluency. Our results showed that each factor (except executive ability) could be significantly related to each neural measurement alone; however, structural and functional connectivity models did not explain additional variance above the lesion models. We did find evidence that the structural and functional predictors may be linked to the core lesion sites. First, the predictive functional connectivity features were found to be located within functional resting-state networks identified in healthy controls, suggesting that the result might reflect functionally specific reorganization (damage to a node within a network can result in disruption to the entire network). Second, predictive structural connectivity features were located within core lesion sites, suggesting that multimodal information may be redundant in prediction modelling. In addition, we observed that the optimum sparsity within the regularized regression models differed for each behavioural component and across different imaging features, suggesting that future studies should consider optimizing hyperparameters related to sparsity per target. Together, the results indicate that the observed network-level disruption was predicted by the lesion alone and does not significantly improve model performance in predicting the profile of language impairment.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Language Symptoms due to Cerebellar Injury.

To date, cerebellar contribution to language is well established via clinical and neuroimaging studies. However, the particular functional role of the cerebellum in language remains to be clarified. In this study, we present the first systematic review of the diverse language symptoms in spoken language after cerebellar lesion that were reported in case studies for the last 30 years (18 clinical cases from 13 papers), and meta-analysis using cluster analysis with bootstrap and symptom co-occurrence analysis. Seven clusters of patients with similar language symptoms after cerebellar lesions were found. Co-occurrence analysis revealed pairs of symptoms that tend to be comorbid. Our results imply that the "linguistic cerebellum" has a multiform contribution to language function. The most possible mechanism of such contribution is the cerebellar reciprocal connectivity with supratentorial brain regions, where the cerebellar level of the language network has a general modulation function and the supratentorial level is more functionally specified. Based on cerebellar connectivity with supratentorial components of the language network, the "linguistic cerebellum" might be further functionally segregated.

Trastorno específico del lenguaje en Andalucía, España: prevalencia en función del subtipo y del género / Specific language impairment in Andalusia, Spain: Prevalence by subtype and gender

Introducción: El trastorno específico del lenguaje (TEL) es una alteración importante en la adquisición del lenguaje (−1,25 DT), resistente a la intervención y que no se justifica por causa física, neurológica, intelectual, sensorial ni social, y que requiere de intervención especializada. Se trata de un colectivo del que hay poca información sobre su prevalencia en España. Objetivos: Tres objetivos, calcular la prevalencia del TEL en general y los subtipos de forma global en función del género, determinar las edades de diagnóstico de TEL y conocer su distribución por provincias en Andalucía. Materiales y métodos: Prevalencia: Población de referencia: 537.879 alumnos de educación primaria. Se calcula la prevalencia por tipologías, provincias y sexo y se analiza homogeneidad con clúster jerárquico. Edades de detección y distribución TEL en Andalucía: Población de referencia: 1.185.061 alumnos. Se calculan frecuencias y porcentajes de TEL por tipologías, provincias, grupos de edad y sexo. Se utiliza técnica de árboles de clasificación (método CHAID). Resultados: Prevalencia: 8,27 por mil (‰) en Andalucía (España). Edades detección: A los 8 años, el 86,9%, sobre todo TEL-E. El trastorno semántico-pragmático (TSP) es detectado, sobre todo, a partir de los 8 años. Distribución: Sexo: el 74% son niños. Grupos de edad: el 2,9% tiene entre 3-6 años, el 32% entre 6-8 años, el 42% entre 8-12 años y el 23% más de 12 años. Tipologías: TEL expresivo (TEL-E): 56%, TEL expresivo-receptivo (TEL-ER): 33% y TSP: 11%. Conclusiones: El alumnado TEL, por sus características específicas y por sus dimensiones, se debe tener en cuenta en las políticas educativas.(AU)

Introduction: Specific Language Impairment (SLI) is a significant impairment in language acquisition (−1.25 SD), resistant to intervention and not justified by physical, neurological, intellectual, sensory or social causes, requiring specialized intervention. There is little information on the prevalence of this group in Spain. Objectives: Three objectives, to calculate the prevalence of SLI in general and subtypes globally and according to gender, to determine the ages of diagnosis of SLI and to know its distribution by provinces in Andalusia. Materials and methods: Prevalence: Reference population: 537,879 Primary School students. The prevalence is calculated by types, provinces and sex and homogeneity with hierarchical cluster is analyzed. Detection ages and SLI allocation in Andalusia: Reference population: 1,185,061 students. Frequencies and percentages of SLI are calculated by typology, province, age group and sex. Classification tree technique (CHAID method) is used. Results: Prevalence: 8.27 per thousand (‰) in Andalusia (Spain). Screening ages. At age 8, 86.9%, mainly expressive SLI (E-SLI). Semantic-pragmatic disorder (SPD) is detected mainly from the age of 8 years. Distribution: Sex: 74% are boys. Age groups: 2.9% are between 3-6 years old, 32% between 6 and 8, 42% between 8 and 12 and 23% over 12. Typologies: expressive SLI (E-SLI): 56%, expressive-receptive SLI (ER-SLI): 33% and semantic-pragmatic disorder (SPD): 11%. Conclusions: SLI students, due to their specific characteristics and dimensions, should be considered in educational policies.(AU)

Processamento fonológico e leitura em crianças com dificuldade de aprendizagem em escolas bilíngues português-inglês: relatos de casos / Phonological processing and reading in children with learning difficulties in Portuguese-English bilingual schools: case reports / Procesamiento y lectura fonológica en niños con dificultades de aprendizaje en escuelas bilingües portugués-inglés: reporte de casos

Introdução: Há influência positiva no desenvolvimento da linguagem, quando ocorre a exposição a um novo idioma. No entanto, quando se considera esse contexto em crianças com dificuldade de aprendizagem, o deficit apresentado na primeira língua pode ser transferido para o aprendizado da segunda. Objetivo: O objetivo do presente estudo é caracterizar o desempenho em processamento fonológico e leitura em três crianças com dificuldade de aprendizagem em escolas bilíngues português-inglês. Método: Os dados gerais sobre o desenvolvimento e desempenho nas habilidades de consciência fonológica, memória de trabalho fonológica, acesso ao léxico mental e leitura em três crianças de 8 a 9 anos de idade, cursando 2º e 3º ano do ensino fundamental foram descritos; todos com, ao menos, dois anos de exposição à escola bilíngue, especialmente na alfabetização. Na avaliação, foram aplicados os protocolos CONFIAS, Memória de Trabalho Fonológica, TENA, RAN e Protocolo de Avaliação da Compreensão Leitora de Textos Expositivos. Resultado: as crianças apresentaram desempenho aquém do esperado nas habilidades do processamento fonológico, na fluência da leitura oral, bem como na compreensão leitora. Conclusão: esses resultados podem contribuir tanto para a compreensão de aspectos da linguagem escrita na atuação do fonoaudiólogo com crianças bilíngues, quanto para as implicações clínicas e educacionais, haja vista a escassez de estudos nessa área, no Brasil.

Introduction: There is a positive influence on language development when there is exposure to a new language. However, when considering this context in children with learning difficulties, the deficits presented in the first language can be transferred to the learning of the second. Objective: The aim of the present study was to characterize the performance in phonological processing and reading in three children with learning difficulties from Brazilian-English bilingual schools. Method: General data on the development and performance in phonological awareness skills, phonological working memory, access to mental lexicon and reading in three children aged 8 to 9 years, attending the 2nd and 3rd year of elementary school were described; all with at least two years of exposure to bilingual school, especially in literacy. In the evaluation, the protocols CONFIAS, Phonological Working Memory, TENA, RAN and Protocol for Assessment of Reading Comprehension of Expository Texts were applied. Results: The children performed below expectations in terms of phonological processing skills, difficulties in oral reading fluency, as well as in reading comprehension. Conclusion: These results can contribute to the understanding of aspects of written language in the performance of speech therapists with bilingual children, regarding clinical and educational implications, given the scarcity of studies in this area in Brazil.;Introducción: Existe una influencia positiva en el desarrollo del lenguaje cuando hay exposición a un nuevo idioma. Sin embargo, al considerar este contexto en niños con dificultades de aprendizaje, los déficits presentados en el primer idioma se pueden trasladar al aprendizaje del segundo. Objetivo: El objetivo del presente estudio fue caracterizar el desempeño en procesamiento fonológico y lectura en tres niños con dificultades de aprendizaje de escuelas bilingües brasileño-inglés. Método: Se describieron datos generales sobre el desarrollo y desempeño en las habilidades de conciencia fonológica, memoria de trabajo fonológica, acceso al léxico mental y lectura en tres niños de 8 a 9 años de 2º y 3º de primaria; todos con al menos dos años de exposición a la escuela bilingüe, especialmente en alfabetización. En la evaluación se aplicaron los protocolos CONFIAS, Memoria Fonológica de Trabajo, TENA, RAN y Protocolo de Evaluación de la Comprensión Lectora de Textos Expositivos. Resultados: Los niños se desempeñaron por debajo de las expectativas en términos de habilidades de procesamiento fonológico, dificultades en la fluidez de la lectura oral, así como en la comprensión lectora. Conclusión: Estos resultados pueden contribuir a la comprensión de aspectos del lenguaje escrito en el desempeño de logopedas con niños bilingües, en cuanto a implicaciones clínicas y educativas, dada la escasez de estudios en esta área en Brasil.

Introduction: There is a positive influence on language development when there is exposure to a new language. However, when considering this context in children with learning difficulties, the deficits presented in the first language can be transferred to the learning of the second. Objective: The aim of the present study was to characterize the performance in phonological processing and reading in three children with learning difficulties from Brazilian-English bilingual schools. Method: General data on the development and performance in phonological awareness skills, phonological working memory, access to mental lexicon and reading in three children aged 8 to 9 years, attending the 2nd and 3rd year of elementary school were described; all with at least two years of exposure to bilingual school, especially in literacy. In the evaluation, the protocols CONFIAS, Phonological Working Memory, TENA, RAN and Protocol for Assessment of Reading Comprehension of Expository Texts were applied. Results: The children performed below expectations in terms of phonological processing skills, difficulties in oral reading fluency, as well as in reading comprehension. Conclusion: These results can contribute to the understanding of aspects of written language in the performance of speech therapists with bilingual children, regarding clinical and educational implications, given the scarcity of studies in this area in Brazil.;Introducción: Existe una influencia positiva en el desarrollo del lenguaje cuando hay exposición a un nuevo idioma. Sin embargo, al considerar este contexto en niños con dificultades de aprendizaje, los déficits presentados en el primer idioma se pueden trasladar al aprendizaje del segundo. Objetivo: El objetivo del presente estudio fue caracterizar el desempeño en procesamiento fonológico y lectura en tres niños con dificultades de aprendizaje de escuelas bilingües brasileño-inglés. Método: Se describieron datos generales sobre el desarrollo y desempeño en las habilidades de conciencia fonológica, memoria de trabajo fonológica, acceso al léxico mental y lectura en tres niños de 8 a 9 años de 2º y 3º de primaria; todos con al menos dos años de exposición a la escuela bilingüe, especialmente en alfabetización. En la evaluación se aplicaron los protocolos CONFIAS, Memoria Fonológica de Trabajo, TENA, RAN y Protocolo de Evaluación de la Comprensión Lectora de Textos Expositivos. Resultados: Los niños se desempeñaron por debajo de las expectativas en términos de habilidades de procesamiento fonológico, dificultades en la fluidez de la lectura oral, así como en la comprensión lectora. Conclusión: Estos resultados pueden contribuir a la comprensión de aspectos del lenguaje escrito en el desempeño de logopedas con niños bilingües, en cuanto a implicaciones clínicas y educativas, dada la escasez de estudios en esta área en Brasil.

'Moderate global aphasia': A generalized decline of language processing caused by glioma surgery but not stroke.

Unlike stroke, neurosurgical removal of left-hemisphere gliomas acts upon a reorganized language network and involves brain areas rarely damaged by stroke. We addressed whether this causes the profiles of neurosurgery- and stroke-induced language impairments to be distinct. K-means clustering of language assessment data (neurosurgery cohort: N = 88, stroke cohort: N = 95) identified similar profiles in both cohorts. But critically, a cluster of individuals with specific phonological deficits was only evident in the stroke but not in the neurosurgery cohort. Thus, phonological deficits are less clearly distinguished from other language deficits after glioma surgery compared to stroke. Furthermore, the correlations between language production and comprehension scores at different linguistic levels were more extensive in the neurosurgery than in the stroke cohort. Our findings suggest that neurosurgery-induced language impairments do not correspond to those caused by stroke, but rather manifest as a 'moderate global aphasia' - a generalized decline of language processing abilities.

Terapias para la comunicación en personas con esclerosis múltiple / Therapies for communication in people with multiple sclerosis

People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can present a variety of communication disorders that affect their roles and social participation, affecting their quality of life and that of their environment. An early approach to these people and their communication difficulties could improve/compensate/facilitate communication, minimizing the effects on their daily life. Purpose: To contribute with recommendations for communication therapy in people with MS. Method: narrative literature review related to the topic. Results: There are few investigations focused on the intervention of communication in people with MS, those found are works in small populations, with evaluations at the beginning and at the end of therapy. The most promising studies are those that show specific effects on speech, through the LSVT LOUD, which not only improves communicative effectiveness, but has also shown improvements in dysphagia (eating disorder). significant to consider interventions with the environment and aimed at the quality of life of the affected individuals and families. Conclusions: The different presentations that MS has and its individual characteristics in each person, makes it difficult to have specific evidence on the most effective types of therapy. Despite this, it is possible to use therapies focused on different communication symptoms and adapt them under certain considerations to address communication in people with MS. (AU)

Arcuate Fasciculus Subsegment Impairments Distinctly Associated with Memory and Language Deficits in Acute Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Patients.

In acute mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), the injury-related axonal swelling leads to white matter fiber bundle impairments, closely related to the memory and language deficits commonly shown in the patients. The arcuate fasciculus (AF) plays a central role in verbal learning and language function but could be functionally heterogeneous along the fiber tract. In this study, 25 patients with acute mTBI (<48 h after trauma) and 33 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were included. Impaired verbal memory and language functions were shown in the patient group compared with the HCs. Combined diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were applied to investigate the altered diffusion measure profiles of the AF tracts and the associated functional features. The fractional anisotropy (FA) in the right AF temporal subsegment of the mTBI group was negatively associated with the patient verbal memory function, whereas a positive correlation was found in the HC group. On the other hand, the correlation between the FA in the right AF frontal subsegment and the language function in HCs diminished in the patient group. Moreover, the functional connectivity between the inferior frontal gyrus and the middle occipital gyrus decreased, and its correlation with language function in HCs was absent in the patients with mTBI. Our work provides new insights into the understanding of the structural and functional heterogeneity of the AF tracts as well as the distinct associations of its subsegment impairments with verbal memory and language function deficits in patients with acute mTBI.

Language changes in Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review of verb processing.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) results in language impairments and higher-level communication problems. Research into the language of people with AD (pwAD) has mainly focused on nouns; however, improved understanding of verb processing by pwAD could improve diagnostic assessments and communicative interventions. This systematic review synthesizes findings of AD's effects on verbs from single-word, sentence, and discourse tasks. Review of 57 studies revealed that pwAD were less accurate than controls on single-word tasks and less accurate with verbs than nouns on these tasks. They had difficulty comprehending sentences featuring multiple verbs or verbs with reversible thematic roles. Discourse production by pwAD was marked by vagueness, including declines in total output and propositional content and a preference for generic verbs and simple syntax. Few studies examining sentence production or discourse comprehension were found. Future research should address relationships between long-term memory and language preservation as well as verb use in discourse.

Early Vocal Development in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex.

BACKGROUND: Our goal was to assess for the first time early vocalizations as precursors to speech in audio-video recordings of infants with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). METHODS: We randomly selected 40 infants with TSC from the TSC Autism Center of Excellence Research Network dataset. Using human observers, we analyzed 74 audio-video recordings within a flexible software-based coding environment. During the recordings, infants were engaged in developmental testing. We determined syllables per minute (volubility), the number of consonant-vowel combinations, such as 'ba' (canonical babbling), and the canonical babbling ratio (canonical syllables/total syllables) and compared the data with two groups of typically developing (TD) infants. One comparison group's data had come from a laboratory setting, while the other's had come from all-day Language Environment Analysis recordings at home. RESULTS: Compared with TD infants in laboratory and all-day Language Environment Analysis recordings, entry into the canonical babbling stage was delayed in the majority of infants with TSC, and the canonical babbling ratio was low (TD mean = 0.346, SE = 0.19; TSC mean = 0.117, SE = 0.023). Volubility level in infants with TSC was less than half that of TD infants (TD mean = 9.82, SE = 5.78; TSC mean = 3.99, SE = 2.16). CONCLUSIONS: Entry into the canonical stage and other precursors of speech development were delayed in infants with TSC and may signal poor language and developmental outcomes. Future studies are planned to assess prediction of language and developmental outcomes using these measures in a larger sample and in more precisely comparable recording circumstances.

Relationships among language ability, the arcuate fasciculus and lesion volume in patients with putaminal hemorrhage: a diffusion tensor imaging study.

Relationships among language ability, arcuate fasciculus and lesion volume were investigated by use of diffusion tensor tractography in patients with putaminal hemorrhage. Thirty-three right-handed patients within six weeks of hemorrhage onset were recruited. Correlation of the aphasia quotient with subset (fluency, comprehension, repetition, naming) scores, diffusion tensor tractography parameters and lesion volume of patients, aphasia quotient (r = 0.446) with subset (naming: r = 0.489) score had moderate positive correlations with fractional anisotropy of the left arcuate fasciculus. The aphasia quotient subset (repetition) score had a strong positive correlation with fractional anisotropy of the left arcuate fasciculus (r = 0.520), whereas, aphasia quotient subset (fluency and comprehension) scores had no significant correlations with fractional anisotropy of the left arcuate fasciculus after Benjamini-Hochberg correction. Aphasia quotient (r = 0.668) with subset (fluency: r = 0.736, comprehension: r = 0.739, repetition: r = 0.649, naming: r = 0.766) scores had strong positive correlations with the tract volume of the left arcuate fasciculus and strong negative correlations with lesion volume (r = -0.521, fluency: r = -0.520, comprehension: r = -0.513, repetition: r = -0.518, naming: r = -0.562). Fractional anisotropy of the left arcuate fasciculus had a moderate negative correlation with lesion volume (r = -0.462), whereas the tract volume of the left arcuate fasciculus had a strong negative correlation with lesion volume (r = -0.700). According to the result of mediation analysis, tract volume of the left arcuate fasciculus fully mediated the effect of lesion volume on the aphasia quotient. Regarding the receiver operating characteristic curve, the lesion volume cut-off value was 29.17 cm3 and the area under the curve (0.74), sensitivity (0.77) and specificity (0.80) were higher than those of fractional anisotropy, tract volume and aphasia quotient cut-off values. It was found that level of language disability was related to lesion volume as well as to injury severity of arcuate fasciculus in the dominant hemisphere of patients with putaminal hemorrhage. In particular, the tract volume of the arcuate fasciculus in the dominant hemisphere fully mediated the effect of lesion volume on language ability. Additionally, a lesion volume of approximately 30 cm3 was helpful in discriminating arcuate fasciculus discontinuation in the dominant hemisphere.

Congenital Hypothyroidism and the Deleterious Effects on Auditory Function and Language Skills: A Narrative Review.

Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is an endocrine disease commonly found in newborns and is related to the absence or reduction of thyroid hormones (THs), which are essential for development since intrauterine life. Children with CH can develop hearing problems as THs are crucial for the auditory pathway's development and maturation. Sensory deprivations, especially in hearing disorders at early ages of development, can impair language skills, literacy, and behavioral, cognitive, social, and psychosocial development. In this review we describe clinical and molecular aspects linking CH and hearing loss.

Rescue of Neglect and Language Impairment After Stroke Thrombectomy.

Background and Purpose: Although National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores provide an objective measure of clinical deficits, data regarding the impact of neglect or language impairment on outcomes after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is lacking. We assessed the frequency of neglect and language impairment, rate of their rescue by MT, and impact of rescue on clinical outcomes. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database from a comprehensive stroke center. We assessed right (RHS) and left hemispheric strokes (LHS) patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion undergoing MT to assess the impact of neglect and language impairment on clinical outcomes, respectively. Safety and efficacy outcomes were compared between patients with and without rescue of neglect or language impairment. Results: Among 324 RHS and 210 LHS patients, 71% of patients presented with neglect whereas 93% of patients had language impairment, respectively. Mean age was 71±15, 56% were females, and median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 16 (12­20). At 24 hours, MT resulted in rescue of neglect in 31% of RHS and rescue of language impairment in 23% of LHS patients, respectively. RHS patients with rescue of neglect (56% versus 34%, P<0.001) and LHS patients with rescue of language impairment (64 % versus 25%, P<0.01) were observed to have a higher rate of functional independence compared to patients without rescue. After adjusting for confounders including 24-hour National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, rescue of neglect among RHS patients was associated with functional independence (P=0.01) and lower mortality (P=0.01). Similarly, rescue of language impairment among LHS patients was associated with functional independence (P=0.02) and lower mortality (P=0.001). Conclusions: Majority of LHS-anterior circulation large vessel occlusion and of RHS-anterior circulation large vessel occlusion patients present with the impairment of language and neglect, respectively. In comparison to 24-hour National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, rescue of these deficits by MT is an independent and a better predictor of functional independence and lower mortality.