Monthly Archives: August 2009
Cognitive recovery and predictors of functional outcome 1 year after traumatic brain injury
Outcome studies on traumatic brain injury (TBI) have shown that functional status can be predicted by demographic, injury severity, and trauma-related factors. Concurrent cognitive functions as one of the determinants of functional outcome is less documented. This study evaluated the effects of concurrent neuropsychological measures on functional outcome 1 year after injury. Neuropsychological data, employment status, self-reported fatigue, and the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) were collected from 115 persons with TBI (ranging from mild to severe) at 3 and 12 months postinjury. Principal components analysis was conducted with the neuropsychological measures and three components emerged. Multiple regression analysis, controlling for demographic and injury severity related factors, was used to test the effects of cognitive components at 12 months on functional outcome (GOSE). One year after injury, 64% were categorized as “good recovery” and 36% as “moderate disability” according to GOSE. Good functional recovery depended on shorter duration of posttraumatic amnesia, less fatigue, absence of intracranial pathology, higher education, and better performance on cognitive measures. The predictive values of Verbal/Reasoning and Visual/Perception components are supported; each added significantly and improved prediction of functional outcome. The Memory/Speed component showed a near-significant relationship to outcome. (JINS, 2009, 15, 740–750)
The anterior temporal lobes and the functional architecture of semantic memory
Recently, three accounts have emerged on the role of the anterior temporal lobes (ATLs) in semantic memory. One account claims that the ATLs are domain-general semantic hubs, another claims that they underlie knowledge of unique entities specifically, and yet another account claims that they support social conceptual knowledge generally. Here, we review neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies that bear on these three accounts and offer suggestions for future research to elucidate the roles of the ATLs in semantic memory. (JINS, 2009, 15, 645–649.)
Abstract categories or limited-scope formulae? The case of children’s determiners*
Six tests of the spontaneous speech of twenty-one English-speaking children (1 ; 10 to 2 ; 8; MLUs 1·53 to 4·38) demonstrate the presence of the syntactic category determiner from the start of combinatorial speech, supporting nativist accounts. Children use multiple determiners before a noun to the same extent as their mothers (1) when only a and the or (2) all determiners are analyzed, or (3) when children and mothers are matched on determiner and noun types and determiner+noun tokens. (4) Overlap increases as opportunity for overlap increases: children use multiple determiners with more than 50% of nouns used at least twice with a determiner and with 80% of nouns used at least six times with a determiner. (5) Formulae play a limited role in low-MLU children’s determiner usage, increasing with MLU. (6) Less than 1% of determiner uses are errors. Prior results showing no overlap are likely a sampling artifact.
from the Journal of Child Language
Activation of syllable units during visual recognition of French words in Grade 2*
The aim of the study was to investigate the syllable activation hypothesis in French beginning readers. Second graders performed a lexical decision task in which bisyllabic words were presented in two colours that either matched the syllable boundaries or not. The data showed that the children were sensitive to syllable match and to syllable complexity. In addition, good readers were slowed down while poor readers were speeded up by syllable match. These findings suggest that syllables are functional units of lexical access in children and that syllable activation is influenced by reading level.
from the Journal of Child Language
Grammar improvement following deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic and the pedunculopontine nuclei in advanced Parkinson’s disease: A pilot study
Combined deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic (STN) and pedunculopontine (PPN) nuclei has been recently proposed as surgical treatment of advanced Parkinson’s disease. STN stimulation alone has been shown to provide selective improvement of the grammatical aspect of language. We studied five advanced Parkinson’s disease patients who underwent combined deep brain stimulation (STN + PPN). Overall cognitive profile did not change. On the contrary, an interesting trend towards reduction of ungrammatical errors (particularly substitution of free and inflectional morphemes) was found when stimulating the STN, and also the PPN, when the STN was switched off. These findings replicate previous observations on the STN, and provide the rationale for further investigation of the role of the PPN in processing linguistic grammar.
from PRWeb.com
Sensory feedback dependence hypothesis in persons who stutter
The present study investigated the role of sensory feedback (auditory, proprioception, and tactile) at the intra- and inter-gestural levels of speech motor coordination in normal and fast speech rate conditions in two groups: (1) persons who stutter (PWS) and (2) those who do not (PNS). Feedback perturbations were carried out with the use of masking noise (auditory), tendon vibration (proprioception), and nonwords that differed in the amount of required tactile lip contact (/api/+tactile and /awi/-tactile). Comparisons were also made between jaw-free and jaw-immobilized (with a bite-block) task conditions. It was hypothesized that if PWS depend more strongly on sensory feedback control during speech production, they would show an increase in variability of movement coordination in the combined presence of fast speech rates and feedback perturbations, in particular, when jaw motions are blocked and adaptations in the other articulators are required to achieve the task goals. Significant feedback perturbation effects were found for both groups, but the only significant between-group effect was found at fast speech rates in the jaw-free condition, showing that control speakers were more perturbed at the intra-gestural level of coordination than PWS when simultaneous (auditory, proprioceptive, and tactile) perturbations were present. The findings do not provide support for either the feedback dependency or the sensory deficit hypotheses described in the literature to explain movement characteristics found in fluent speech production of PWS.
Sound And Vision Wired Through Same ‘Black Box’ In The Human Mind
Sounds and images share a similar neural code in the human brain, according to a new Canadian study. In the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), scientists from the Université de Montréal and the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University explain how the same neural code in the brain allows people to distinguish between different types of sounds, such as speech and music, or different images.
Participants were recruited to undergo functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI), a non-invasive form of brain mapping used to determine how the brain recognizes different characteristics in musical instruments, words from conversations or environmental sounds. Subjects underwent an exhaustive three hours of FMRI exams to provide precise information about how the brain reacts when different sounds are played.
from PRWeb.com
Sensory feedback dependence hypothesis in persons who stutter
The present study investigated the role of sensory feedback (auditory, proprioception, and tactile) at the intra- and inter-gestural levels of speech motor coordination in normal and fast speech rate conditions in two groups: (1) persons who stutter (PWS) and (2) those who do not (PNS). Feedback perturbations were carried out with the use of masking noise (auditory), tendon vibration (proprioception), and nonwords that differed in the amount of required tactile lip contact (/api/+tactile and /awi/-tactile). Comparisons were also made between jaw-free and jaw-immobilized (with a bite-block) task conditions. It was hypothesized that if PWS depend more strongly on sensory feedback control during speech production, they would show an increase in variability of movement coordination in the combined presence of fast speech rates and feedback perturbations, in particular, when jaw motions are blocked and adaptations in the other articulators are required to achieve the task goals. Significant feedback perturbation effects were found for both groups, but the only significant between-group effect was found at fast speech rates in the jaw-free condition, showing that control speakers were more perturbed at the intra-gestural level of coordination than PWS when simultaneous (auditory, proprioceptive, and tactile) perturbations were present. The findings do not provide support for either the feedback dependency or the sensory deficit hypotheses described in the literature to explain movement characteristics found in fluent speech production of PWS.
Sound And Vision Wired Through Same ‘Black Box’ In The Human Mind
Sounds and images share a similar neural code in the human brain, according to a new Canadian study. In the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), scientists from the Université de Montréal and the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University explain how the same neural code in the brain allows people to distinguish between different types of sounds, such as speech and music, or different images.
Newly Published Research Indicates 97% of Apraxic Children Improving with Novel Nutritional Combination
In September of 2008 SpeechNutrients introduced the supplement NourishLife speak™ which combines omega-3 and vitamin E to provide nutritional support for children with apraxia and speech challenges. A recent study published in the July issue of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine reported that 181 children with verbal apraxia taking a combination of omega-3 and vitamin E noted significant improvements in speech, communication, behavior, and motor skills.
from PRWeb.com
Changing Language
The English language is vast, flexible, fascinating, frustrating, challenging, inspiring and endlessly changing. To take it for granted is to miss much of its richness and complexity. This website explores the way that the language has developed over hundreds of years.
from the British Library
Morwen Millson: Scandal of long wait for speech help
Effective communication is crucial in our modern world and difficulties with speech and language can stunt a child’s academic chances.
from Topix.net
Children with newly diagnosed epilepsy at risk for cognitive problems
Children who have normal IQs before they experience a first seizure may also have problems with language, memory, learning and other cognitive skills, according to a study published in the August 12, 2009, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
from EurekAlert.org
