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Word finding for nouns and verbs was examined in a heterogeneous group of aphasics (N = 9) by comparing the ability to generate synonyms and sentences for the same set of 20 nouns and 20 verbs. Synonym Generation performance resembled that of an age-matched group of normal control subjects (n = 9): In both groups, some subjects produced comparable numbers of synonyms for nouns and verbs while other subjects produced significantly fewer synonyms for verbs. Essentially the same two patterns were displayed on Sentence Generation using the frequency of "empty" nouns (e.g., 'it', 'man') and "empty" verbs (e.g., 'is', 'do') as an index of word-finding difficulty: In both groups, some subjects produced comparable numbers of empty nouns and verbs, while other subjects produced significantly more empty verbs. However, the Sentence Generation performance of one aphasic subject stood out overall by her tendency to avoid empty verbs and produce incomplete sentences. This pattern of performance was interpreted as a breakdown in an early stage of sentence planning that may be directly related to her diagnosis of transcortical motor aphasia.

Background: Profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) are a complex range of disabilities that affect the general health and wellbeing of the individual and their capacity to interact and learn.Method: We developed a new methodology to capture the nonsymbolic signalling behaviours of children with PMLD within the context of a face-to-face interaction with a caregiver to provide analysis at a micro-level of descriptive detail incorporating the use of the ELAN digital video software. Conclusion:The signalling behaviours of participants in a natural, everyday interaction can be better understood with the use of this innovation in methodology, which is predicated on the ecology of communication. Recognition of the developmental ability of the participants is an integral factor within that ecology. The method presented establishes an advanced account of the modalities through which a child affected by PMLD is able to communicate.3

Botulinum toxin injections have been used to treat 31 patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia. Injections of 300-3 75 units of botulinum toxin were performed bilaterally into the thyroarytenoid muscle. This treatment significantly decreased the standard deviation of the fundamental frequency of the speech sample, indicating a reduction in the variability of pitch amongst patients. A total of 96% of patients' subjective diary reports showed an improvement with a median of 7 days to peak effect and a 5 week duration of peak effect.

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This meta-analysis focuses on the treatment effects of the use of botulinum toxin in laryngeal dystonia. The vocal symptoms are characterized by spasms of the laryngeal muscles thus the use of the term spasmodic dysphonia (SD). The objective of the intervention, i.e. botulinum toxin treatment, is to reduce or eliminate the vocal spasms and thus improve the acoustic regularity of the voice. The purpose of the present study was to assess the efficacy of botulinum toxin in the treatment of SD by engaging in a 'best synthesis' systematic summary of existing research. The average treated SD patient in the 22 studies subjected to meta-analysis obtained 97% improvement as a result of treatment with botulinum toxin.

SA n examination of the empirical evidence for the eficacy of speech and language therapy treatment for adult aphasic patients is undertaken with the aid of meta-analysis which affords a statistical method of systematic data summary and synthesis. Patient characteristics and treatment outcomes are correlated to identify factors that contribute to the demonstration of a treatment effect. One of the most striking results of this retrospective study was the identification of the overwhelming failure to report data or include, in experimental controls, variables that might crucially affect outcome.Une ttude sur les tvidences empiriques de l'eficacitt des traitements rtalists par les orthophonistes avec des patients aphasiques adultes, a e'te' mente avec l'aide de la mtta-analyse qui offre une mtthode statistique systtmatique de synthese et de rtsumt des donntes. La corre'lation des caracte'ristiques des patients et les rksultats des traitements a tte' Ctudite pour mettre en tvidence les facteurs qui contribuent a la dtmonstration des effets du traitement. Un des resultats les plus marquants de cette etude rttrospective a ttC la mise en tvidence de l'absence gtntralisCe de donntes pre'cises et l'incapacitt d'inclure, dans les contrdes exptrirnentaux, des variables qui sont de'terminantes pour les rtsultats. Mit der Hilfe einer Metaanalyse, die eine statistische Methode der systematischen Datenzusammenfassung ermoglichte, haben wir eine Untersuchung des empirischen Beweismaterials f i r die positive Auswirkung von Sprachtherapie bei Aphasie durchgefiihrt. Besonderheiten der Patienten wurden mit Behandlungsergebnissen korreliert, u m die Faktoren festzustellen, die zu einer positiven Therapie beitragen. Eins der auffallendsten Ergebnisse dieser Studie war die Feststellung eines erheblichen Datenmangels in den anderen Berichten und bei den Kontrollgruppen das Fehlen von Variablen, die einen bedeutenden Einfluss auf das Endergebnis haben konnten.