scholarly journals Rehabilitation in semantic dementia: Study of the effectiveness of lexical reacquisition in three patients

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 306-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirna Lie Hosogi Senaha ◽  
Sonia Maria Dozzi Brucki ◽  
Ricardo Nitrini
Keyword(s):  
Primary Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Clinical Syndrome ◽  
Semantic Dementia ◽  
Errorless Learning ◽  
Boston Naming Test ◽  
Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Primary Progressive ◽  
Zero Items ◽  
Naming Performance ◽  
Naming Test

Abstract Although language rehabilitation in patients with primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is recommended, rehabilitation studies in this clinical syndrome are scarce. Specifically, in relation to semantic dementia (SD), few studies have shown the possibility of lexical relearning. Objective: To analyze the effectiveness of rehabilitation for lexical reacquisition in SD. Methods: Three SD patients were submitted to training for lexical reacquisition based on principles of errorless learning. Comparisons between naming performance of treated items (pre and post-training) and non-treated items of the Boston Naming Test (BNT) were made. Results: All patients improved their performance in naming treated words after intervention. However, decline in performance in naming of non-treated items was observed. Case 1 named zero items at baseline while her performance post-training was 29.4% correct responses without cueing, and 90.7% correct with and without cueing. Case 2 named 6.9% of items correctly at baseline and his performance in post-training was 52.9% without cueing and 87.3%, with and without cueing. Case 3 named zero items at baseline and his performance in post-training was 100% correct responses without cueing. Considering the performance in naming the non-treated items of the BNT, the percentages of correct responses in the first evaluation and in the re-evaluation, respectively were: 16.7% and 8.3% (case 1; 14 month-interval); 26.7% and 11.6% (case 2; 18 month-interval) and 11.6% and 8.3% (case 3; 6 month-interval). Conclusions: The reacquisition of lost vocabulary may be possible in SD despite progressive semantic deterioration.

scholarly journals [18F]AV-1451 binding in vivo mirrors the expected distribution of TDP-43 pathology in the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia

2017 ◽  
Vol 89 (10) ◽  
pp. 1032-1037 ◽  
Author(s):  
W R Bevan-Jones ◽  
Thomas E Cope ◽  
P Simon Jones ◽  
Luca Passamonti ◽  
Young T Hong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration ◽  
Primary Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Hierarchical Cluster ◽  
Clinical Syndrome ◽  
Semantic Dementia ◽  
Binding Potential ◽  
Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Primary Progressive ◽  
Semantic Variant

IntroductionSemantic dementia, including the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (svPPA), is strongly associated with TAR-DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) type C pathology. It provides a useful model in which to test the specificity of in vivo binding of the putative tau ligand [18F]AV-1451, which is elevated in frontotemporal lobar degeneration tauopathies.Methods and resultsSeven patients (five with svPPA and two with ‘right’ semantic dementia) and 12 healthy controls underwent positron emission tomography brain imaging with [18F]AV-1451. Two independent preprocessing methods were used. For both methods, all patients had clearly elevated binding potential (BPND (non-displaceable binding potential)) in temporal lobes, lateralising according to their clinical syndrome and evident in raw images. Region of interest analyses confirmed that BPND was significantly increased in temporal regions, insula and fusiform gyrus, consistent with those areas known to be most affected in semantic dementia. Hierarchical cluster analysis, based on the distribution of [18F]AV-1451 binding potential, separated semantic dementia from controls with 86% sensitivity and 100% specificity.Conclusions[18F]AV-1451 binds in vivo regions that are likely to contain TDP-43 and not significant tau pathology. While this suggests a non-tau target for [18F]AV-1451, the pathological regions in semantic dementia do not normally contain significant levels of recently proposed ‘off target’ binding sites for [18F]AV-1451, such as neuronal monoamine oxidase or neuromelanin. Postmortem and longitudinal data will be useful to assess the utility of [18F]AV-1451 to differentiate and track different types of frontotemporal lobar degeneration.

scholarly journals Primary progressive aphasia: Classification of variants in 100 consecutive Brazilian cases

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirna Lie Hosogi Senaha ◽  
Paulo Caramelli ◽  
Sonia M.D. Brucki ◽  
Jerusa Smid ◽  
Leonel T. Takada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Criteria ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Primary Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Clinical Syndrome ◽  
Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Primary Progressive ◽  
Diagnosis And Classification ◽  
Consensus Classification

ABSTRACT Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a neurodegenerative clinical syndrome characterized primarily by progressive language impairment. Recently, consensus diagnostic criteria were published for the diagnosis and classification of variants of PPA. The currently recognized variants are nonfluent/agrammatic (PPA-G), logopenic (PPA-L) and semantic (PPA-S). Objective: To analyze the demographic data and the clinical classification of 100 PPA cases. Methods: Data from 100 PPA patients who were consecutively evaluated between 1999 and 2012 were analyzed. The patients underwent neurological, cognitive and language evaluation. The cases were classified according to the proposed variants, using predominantly the guidelines proposed in the consensus diagnostic criteria from 2011. Results: The sample consisted of 57 women and 43 men, aged at onset 67.2±8.1 years (range of between 53 and 83 years). Thirty-five patients presented PPA-S, 29 PPA-G and 16 PPA-L. It was not possible to classify 20% of the cases into any one of the proposed variants. Conclusion: It was possible to classify 80% of the sample into one of the three PPA variants proposed. Perhaps the consensus classification requires some adjustments to accommodate cases that do not fit into any of the variants and to avoid overlap where cases fit more than one variant. Nonetheless, the established current guidelines are a useful tool to address the classification and diagnosis of PPA and are also of great value in standardizing terminologies to improve consistency across studies from different research centers.

Errorless Learning Therapy in Semantic Variant of Primary Progressive Aphasia

2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 415-422
Author(s):  
Núria Montagut ◽  
Sergi Borrego-Écija ◽  
Magdalena Castellví ◽  
Immaculada Rico ◽  
Ramón Reñé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Speech Therapy ◽  
Primary Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Semantic Knowledge ◽  
Errorless Learning ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Primary Progressive ◽  
Semantic Variant ◽  
Naming Tasks

Background: The semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (svPPA) is characterized by a progressive loss of semantic knowledge impairing the ability to name and to recognize the meaning of words. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the immediate and short-term effect of errorless learning speech therapy on the naming and recognition of commonly used words in patients with svPPA. Methods: Eight participants diagnosed with svPPA received 16 sessions of intensive errorless learning speech therapy. Naming and word comprehension tasks were evaluated at baseline, immediately postintervention, and at follow-up after 1, 3, and 6 months. These evaluations were performed using two item sets (a trained list and an untrained list). Results: In the naming tasks, patients showed a significant improvement in trained items immediately after the intervention, but that improvement decayed progressively when therapy ended. No improvements were found either in trained comprehension or in untrained tasks. Conclusion: Errorless learning therapy could improve naming ability in patients with svPPA. This effect may be due to the relative preservation of episodic memory, but the benefit is not maintained over time, presumably because there is no consolidation.

Primary Progressive Aphasia and Its Three Variants

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-12
Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Ogar
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Primary Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Semantic Dementia ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Nonfluent Aphasia ◽  
Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Primary Progressive ◽  
Progressive Nonfluent Aphasia

Abstract Speech-language pathologists are increasingly treating patients with progressive disorders, including primary progressive aphasia (PPA). For many years, two variants of PPA were recognized: a nonfluent type—progressive nonfluent aphasia (PNFA)—and a fluent form—semantic dementia (SD). In 2004, a third variant—logopenic progressive aphasia (LPA)—was described. This article will review clinical symptoms, neuroimaging correlates, and the neuropathologies that are typically associated with PNFA, SD, and LPA. Case studies are included to further illustrate the characteristics of each of these three PPA variants.

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