Sue Franklin

Age of acquisition and imageability ratings for a large set of words, including verbs and function words

Age of acquisition and imageability ratings were collected for 2,645 words, including 892 verbs and 213 function words. Words that were ambiguous as to grammatical category were disambiguated: Verbs were shown in their infinitival form, and nouns (where appropriate) were preceded by the indefinite article (such asto crack anda crack). Subjects were speakers of British English selected from a wide age range, so that differences in the responses across age groups could be compared. Within the subset of early acquired noun/verb homonyms, the verb forms were rated as later acquired than the nouns, and the verb homonyms of high-image ability nouns were rated as significantly less imageable than their noun counterparts. A small number of words received significantly earlier or later age of acquisition ratings when the 20–40 years and 50–80 years age groups were compared. These tend to comprise words that have come to be used more frequently in recent years (either through technological advances or social change), or those that have fallen out of common usage. Regression analyses showed that although word length, familiarity, and concreteness make independent contributions to the age of acquisition measure, frequency and imageability are the most important predictors of rated age of acquisition.

The facilitation of picture naming in aphasia

Abstract A series of four experiments are described investigating the effects of a number of treatments on the ability of aphasic patients to retrieve picture names, at some time after the treatment is applied. Auditory word-to-picture matching, visual word-to-picture matching and semantic judgements are found to have effects lasting for up to 24 hours. It is argued that durable facilitation of aphasic word retrieval is a consequence of treatment techniques that require the patients to access the semantic representation corresponding to the picture name, and this is contrasted with the short-term effects of techniques that provide patients with information about the phonological shape of the name. The theoretical and therapeutic implications of these results are discussed.

Dissociations in auditory word comprehension; evidence from nine fluent aphasic patients

Abstract Traditional aphasia classifications do not allow for a detailed description of auditory comprehension impairments. A cognitive neuropsychological model of lexical processing allows us to distinguish at least 5 different levels of impairment in single word auditory comprehension. It also specifies a more complex relationship between impairments in repetition and auditory comprehension. Nine fluent aphasic patients, with auditory comprehension disorders, were assessed using tests of phoneme discrimination, lexical decision, synonym matching and word and non-word repetition. The results of these tests, as predicted, indicated that there were 5 dissociable levels of impairment, although there was some evidence for interaction between levels. The patients showed qualitative differences between auditory and written comprehension. Four of the patients had impairments in repetition despite having no impairment in phoneme discrimination tests. No two patients showed exactly the same pattern of impairment ...

Abstract word anomia

Abstract We describe the word-finding impairment demonstrated by an aphasic patient, DRB. Since he has preserved comprehension of all written words, we argue that the anomia cannot be a consequence of a general semantic deficit, but is rather an impairment in word retrieval. DRB is only very mildly impaired on picture naming tests, but is markedly anomic in spontaneous speech. This discrepancy is explained in terms of his being particularly anomic for abstract words. We demonstrate this abstract word anomia in four ways 1. DRB is worse at repeating abstract words than comprehending them. 2. DRB is poor at reading abstract irregular words, where the word pronunciation has to be lexically retrieved. 3. DRB is impaired in within-category fluency tasks, when the categories are abstract. 4. When asked to give word associations to written words, DRB produces responses that are more concrete than those given by control subjects.

Abstract word meaning deafness

Abstract We report the case of a patient, DRB, who shows impaired auditory comprehension of abstract but not concrete words, in the context of preserved comprehension of all types of written words. Good performance on auditory lexical decision for abstract words indicates that DRB is able to access these lexical entries. This pattern may be termed “abstract word meaning deafness.” Repetition is also more impaired for abstract words than concrete words. DRB is unable to repeat nonwords or write them to dictation. He makes semantic errors in real word repetition, which is compatible with the view that his repetition is semantically mediated. Exactly the same pattern of semantic errors and a particular difficulty with abstract words is found in tasks where DRB is required to write to dictation. DRBs auditory comprehension and repetition impairments are not affected by word frequency. Performance on specific words is inconsistent, and is improved following a written cue.

Verbs and nouns: The importance of being imageable

Abstract There are many differences between verbs and nouns—semantic, syntactic and phonological. We focus on the semantic distinctions and examine differences in performance in both normal control subjects and individuals with aphasia. In tasks requiring production of particular semantic categories and categorisation of given verbs and nouns, control subjects produced fewer verbs than nouns and were slower and less accurate in verb categorisation. Patients who had shown a verb deficit in naming also had particular difficulties producing both verbs and nouns of relatively low imageability. In reading and writing, some patients exhibited poorer performance with verbs than nouns, even when verb/noun homonyms were used. When imageability was controlled, however, no dissociation was shown. We conclude that in simple single word tasks imageability must be controlled to eliminate this as a factor in apparent verb deficits. Other semantic factors, however, could affect performance, particularly when tasks involve the relationships between category exemplars.

Semantic loss without surface dyslexia

Abstract Recent models of reading, including some computational models, suggest that error-free performance in reading aloud may be reliant, at least in part, on support from the semantic system. Such models predict that, following semantic impairment, a pattern of acquired dyslexia known as ‘surface dyslexia’ will be an inevitable consequence. We present data from a patient with dementia of Alzhelmer type who shows a severe semantic impairment but near error-free performance on reading aloud real words (including low-frequency, irregular, abstract words) and non-words. The data are discussed in light of various models of reading and in relation to previously reported cases.

Falls in People With Multiple Sclerosis Who Use a Walking Aid: Prevalence, Factors, and Effect of Strength and Balance Interventions

OBJECTIVES To investigate falls prevalence, factors associated with falling, and the effects of balance and strengthening interventions on falls in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). DESIGN Baseline and posttreatment data from a randomized controlled trial. SETTING Community. PARTICIPANTS People with MS (N=111) who use bilateral support for gait. INTERVENTIONS Group and one-on-one physiotherapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Falls prevalence was assessed using retrospective recall. Demographic information was collected, impairments of body function were assessed, and results from the Berg Balance Scale, 6-minute walk test (6MWT), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale-29 version 2 physical and psychological scores, and the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) were obtained. RESULTS The prevalence of falls in a 3-month period was 50.5% among participants with MS, of whom 28% had more than 1 fall. Fallers had a greater physical (mean difference, -3.9; P=.048) and psychological (median difference, -4.5; P=.001) impact of MS and a greater impact of fatigue (mean difference, -9.4; P=.002). A logistic regression analysis found that the MFIS score made a unique, significant contribution to the model (odds ratio=1.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.018-1.079), correctly identifying 68% of fallers. A 10-week group physiotherapy intervention significantly reduced both the number of fallers (58.3% before to 22.9% after intervention, P=.005) and the number of falls (63 before to 25 after intervention, P=.001). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of falls is high in this population of persons with MS, and the impact of MS and of fatigue is greater in fallers. Development and evaluation of interventions to reduce falls risk and the transition to faller or multiple faller status are required.

Effects of therapy targeted at verb retrieval and the realisation of the predicate argument structure: A case study

Background : Verb retrieval and sentence production difficulties are both common features of aphasia. Previous treatment studies have focused predominantly on verb retrieval and the mapping of semantic and syntactic structure. There have been more limited investigations of the production of the predicate argument structure (PAS). Aims : This study aimed to evaluate the outcome of intensive therapy for a client with aphasia. NS had multiple and interacting difficulties that resulted in problems in producing sentences. Therapy aimed to improve his sentence production by: (a) improving the retrieval of verbs, (b) increasing his awareness of the relationship between nouns and verbs, and (c) improving his production of one-, two-, and three-argument structures. The therapy thus targeted access to PAS information and PAS production as well as verb retrieval. Methods & Procedures : A period of intensive therapy, based around a set of 48 self-selected verbs, was preceded and followed by detailed assessment of NSs single word and sentence production and comprehension. Outcomes & Results : Therapy resulted in a significant improvement in NSs retrieval of the verbs involved in treatment but no generalisation to other verbs. His production of sentences showed more widespread changes. He produced more nouns within sentences, omitted fewer obligatory arguments, and produced a greater variety of argument structures in connected speech. Conclusions : Therapy resulted in a greater awareness of the need for a verb within a sentence and a strategy for producing the argument structure frame around that verb. Improved sentence production was therefore seen, although verb retrieval difficulties were still evident. The study replicates previous research that verb and sentence production difficulties can be treated effectively in people with aphasia. The effects of therapy on sentence production in constrained tasks and narrative speech are discussed.

A Distinctive Case of Word Meaning Deafness

We report the case of a patient, DrO, who has impaired auditory comprehension but intact written comprehension. His ability to repeat words that he cannot comprehend, and his good performance on auditory lexical decision, suggestthat DrO has an impairment of the mappings between the lexical representations of spoken words and theircorresponding semantic representations; a word meaning deafness. DrOs ability to understand heard words depends on their imageability and length, such that he is worse at comprehending words that are both short and abstract.This is interpreted in terms ofphonologicalandsemantic distinctiveness.