The Effects of Feature Type on Semantic Priming of Picture Naming in Normal Speakers

The aim of this study was to investigate the roles of features on conceptual activation.  A picture naming paradigm was employed to measure speech reaction time (SRT) during feature-to-concept activation.  Forty-seven older adults completed the priming task twice with an ISI of 200msec and 600msec. Results indicate that regardless of semantic category, distinctive feature primes resulted in the fastest SRT compared to shared features, combined distinctive and shared features, and neutral primes.  The results indicate that as stated in the Conceptual Structure Account (Tyler & Moss, 2001; Taylor et al., 2007) distinctive features have a privileged role in concept activation

Rule-based treatment for acquired phonological dyslexia

In the context of a multiple-baseline design, this study demonstrated the positive effects of behavioural treatment using grapheme to phoneme correspondence rules to treat a patient with phonological dyslexia 17 years after stroke onset. Treatment used repeated exposure to real and nonsense word stimuli embodying the regularities of two grapheme to phoneme correspondence rules (GPCR) with hierarchical cueing and knowledge of results. Results revealed a pattern of performance that increased beyond baseline variability and coincided in time with the institution of treatment. Generalization of these treatment effects occurred to words requiring knowledge of other GPCR and to an independent processing based reading measure

Phonomotor Rehabilitation of Apraxia of Speech: A Phase II Study

In this Phase II rehabilitation study, we investigated the effects of an intensive phonomotor rehabilitation program founded on schema theory and principles of motor learning on verbal production in an individual with severe apraxia of speech and aphasia. In the context of a single-subject, multiple-baseline design, we investigated the effects of treatment on repetition of trained phonemes, generalization to untrained phonemes, CVC real and nonwords and measures of ecologic validity, and maintenance of treatment effects two-months post treatment.  Results show acquisition of trained phonemes, generalization to untrained phonemes, CVC real words and caregiver report, and maintenance of all treatment effects

Intensive phonomotor rehabilitaiton of anomia in seventeen individuals with aphasia

The purpose of this Phase II clinical rehabilitation research is to investigate whether a phonological treatment, which uses real- and non-words comprised of low phonotactic probability and high neighborhood density phoneme sequences, will improve word retrieval in 30 subjects with left hemisphere lesion and aphasia. The short term objective, and purpose of this CAC presentation, is to present data from the large scale trial from 17 individuals who have completed the intensive treatment program. The treatment program is a logical advance on existing Phase I and Phase II clinical rehabilitation work (Kendall et al 2003, Kendall et al 2006a, Kendall et al 2006b, Kendall et al 2006c, Kendall et al 2008) and is motivated by an interactive activation model (Dell, 1986) and parallel distributed processing model of phonology (Nadeau, 2001)

Intensive phonological rehabilitation of anomia in four individuals with aphasia

The purpose of this paper is to present data from 4 individuals who participated in a 60-hour phonological rehabilitation trial for word retrieval deficits.  The treatment is based on the notion that phonological representations are distributed across acoustic, semantic, orthographic and articulatory motor representations.  So, through the application of a multi-modality (orthographic, acoustic, tactile, visual, articulatory motor) treatment, phonemes and phoneme sequences will be reinstantiated in the neural network resulting in improved activation of lexical-semantic knowledge and word retrieval abilities.  Results showed treatment effects in all 4 individuals and generalization to untrained stimuli in 2 individuals

Phonomotor rehabilitation of anomia in aphasia

The purpose of this Phase II clinical rehabilitation research is to investigate whether a phonological treatment, which uses real- and non-words comprised of low phonotactic probability and high neighborhood density phoneme sequences, will improve word retrieval in 26 subjects with left hemisphere lesion and aphasia. The treatment program is a logical advance on existing Phase I and Phase II clinical rehabilitation work (Kendall et al 2003, Kendall et al 2006a, Kendall et al 2006b, Kendall et al 2006c, Kendall et al 2008) and is motivated by an interactive activation model (Dell, 1986) and parallel distributed processing model of phonology (Nadeau, 2001)

Congenital myasthenic syndrome in Golden Retrievers is associated with a novel COLQ mutation.

BackgroundCongenital myasthenic syndromes (CMSs) are a group of inherited disorders of neuromuscular transmission that may be presynaptic, synaptic, or postsynaptic. Causative mutations have been identified in 4 breeds including the Labrador Retriever, Jack Russell Terrier, Heideterrier, and Danish Pointing Dog.Hypothesis/objectiveClinical and genetic characterization of a neuromuscular disorder in Golden Retriever (GR) puppies.AnimalsFour GR puppies from California were evaluated for generalized muscle weakness beginning at weaning. Biological specimens were collected from the affected puppies, and familial information was obtained. Blood or buccal swabs were obtained from 63 unaffected GRs.MethodsComplete physical, neurological, electrodiagnostic, and histological evaluations and biochemical quantification of muscle acetylcholine receptors were performed. Polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify the 17 exons of COLQ, and sequences were obtained by Sanger sequencing. Variant frequency was assessed in unrelated GRs and a public database.ResultsClinical, neurological, and electrodiagnostic evaluations confirmed a disorder of neuromuscular transmission in a GR family. Sequencing of all exons and splice sites of a primary candidate gene, COLQ, identified a point mutation that predicts an amino acid substitution (G294R). The primary COLQ transcript was absent from affected muscle samples. All affected puppies were homozygous for the mutation, which was not detected outside this GR family or in other breeds.Conclusions and clinical importanceWe confirmed the diagnosis of a CMS in GR puppies and identified a novel COLQ mutation. The COLQ gene encodes the collagenous tail of acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme responsible for termination of skeletal muscle contraction by clearing acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction. Clinicians and breeders should be aware of this CMS in GR puppies with an early onset of weakness

The reorganization of proper nouns: treatment of proper noun retrieval deficits in an individual with temporal lobe epilepsy

The neural correlates of proper noun retrieval have been investigated through neuroimaging and lesion approaches. Neuroimaging studies investigating proper noun naming in neurologically healthy individuals have demonstrated the importance of the left anterior temporal lobe (ATL) to the integrity of proper noun naming (Gorno-Tempini, 2001; Grabowski, Damasio, & Tranel, 2000; Nakamura, et al., 2000; Tranel, 2009; Tsukiura, et al., 2002), while studies investigating proper noun production in individuals with left temporal lobe lesions have demonstrated a link between left ATL damage and proper noun retrieval deficits (Damasio, Grabowski, Tranel, Hichwa, & Damasio, 1996; Tranel, 2006, 2009; Tranel, Damasio, & Damasio, 1997; Tranel, Feinstein, & Manzel, 2008; Tsukiura, et al., 2002). Though patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy have mostly normal linguistic abilities, they consistently demonstrate deficits in proper noun retrieval (i.e., famous faces and places; Glosser, Salvucci, & Chiaravalloti, 2003; Griffith, et al., 2006; Seidenberg, et al., 2002; Viskontas, McAndrews, & Moscovitch, 2002)

The Development of a Standardized Assessment of Phonology in Aphasia: Creating Items to Test Repetition

We are constructing a standardized assessment of phonology in aphasia based on four domains of phonologic processes: concept representation, reading, repetition, and perception. The aim of this paper is to present the results of item development for the repetition domain. Item response theory was the basis of item development and statistical analysis. The final item bank consisted of 113 items which demonstrated sound psychometric properties and adequately measured the range of abilities of our participants with aphasia. The next step in finalizing this domain will focus on shortening the length of the test to include the most salient items