Effectiveness of contextual repetition priming treatments for anomia depends on intact access to semantics

Abstract

Naming of two semantically impaired aphasic patients was treated with the contextual repetition priming technique, which involves repeated repetition of names of pictures that are related semantically, phonologically, or are unrelated. Our previous studies using this technique have suggested that patients with impaired access to lexical-semantic representations benefit in the short-term from this treatment technique, but show no long-term improvement in naming. In contrast, patients with good access to semantics show short- and long-term benefits from this treatment. Here we report two studies of treatment for two individuals with aphasia affecting access to lexical semantics and anomia but spared access to input and output phonology and spared conceptual semantics. We predicted that they would show short-term facilitation from the contextual priming, but no long-term improvements in naming. The results confirmed the prediction. An account of this pattern is offered within the framework of an interactive activation model of word retrieval. Additionally, we discuss alternative techniques for addressing naming deficits when access to semantics is impaired.

Influence of Cognitive Ability on Therapy Outcomes for Anomia in Adults With Chronic Poststroke Aphasia

“…These findings are consistent with the results of previous research, which 23 suggests that intact lexical-semantic processing is integral to the acquisition and 24 maintenance of anomia therapy gains (Martin, Fink, & Laine, 2004;Martin et al, 2006). A 25 number of theories have been proposed to account for the role of lexical-semantic 26 processing in anomia treatment success (e.g., Howard, Hickin, Redmond, Clark, & Best, 27 2006;Martin et al, 2006;Martin & Gupta, 2004); however, this remains a complex andunresolved issue (Dignam et al, 2016). One potential account is provided by Martin et al 1 (2006), who suggest that impaired (input) lexical-semantic processing may result in impaired 2 spreading activation to semantic levels of representations and consequently limit changes to 3 the strength of connections between lexical-semantics and phonology.…”

“…Specifically, lexical-semantic 21 processing significantly predicted therapy gains for treated items at post-therapy and 1 22 month follow-up. These findings are consistent with the results of previous research, which 23 suggests that intact lexical-semantic processing is integral to the acquisition and 24 maintenance of anomia therapy gains (Martin, Fink, & Laine, 2004;Martin et al, 2006). A 25 number of theories have been proposed to account for the role of lexical-semantic 26 processing in anomia treatment success (e.g., Howard, Hickin, Redmond, Clark, & Best, 27 2006;Martin et al, 2006;Martin & Gupta, 2004); however, this remains a complex andunresolved issue (Dignam et al, 2016).…”

“…These skills directly relate to the ability to understand the goals of intervention, self-16 regulate behavior, and generate and implement strategies to facilitate communication (Helm-17 Estabrooks, 2002;Hinckley & Carr, 2001;Seniow et al, 2009b). As baseline language ability 18 is acknowledged as a key predictor of anomia therapy outcomes (e.g., Lambon Ralph et al, 19 2010;Martin, Fink, Renvall, & Laine, 2006), we also investigated the influence of two 20 language variables, Aphasia severity and lexical-semantic processing, on anomia therapy 21…”

Factors influencing treatment-induced language recovery in chronic, post-stroke aphasia

“…Consistent with this suggestion, our measure of lexical-semantic processing, which consisted of auditory and written input for single words, significantly predicted therapy gains for treated items. Furthermore, individuals with impaired access to phonology from semantics typically demonstrated a positive response to treatment, consistent with the predictions of Martin et al (2006).…”

“…Martin et al (2006) propose that the lack of anomia treatment effects in individuals with impaired lexical-semantic processing may be the result of impaired spreading activation to semantic levels of representation and subsequently no change in the strength of connections between lexical-semantics and phonology (input or output). Furthermore, impaired lexical-semantic processing may disrupt semantic encoding during input and inhibit the learning of new verbal information (Martin & Gupta, 2004).…”