Word retrieval impairment, or difficulty naming, represents the most common form of language impairment after stroke (“aphasia”) and has major negative consequences on an individual’s self identity, confidence, relationships and employability. Accordingly, naming is the most common target of impairment-based therapy in acquired language disorder. While there is evidence to support the effectiveness of certain naming treatments, the underlying neural and cognitive mechanisms responsible for positive treatment outcomes remain far from clear. As such, rehabilitative clinicians are currently unable to accurately predict what type of treatment will be most effective for which individuals. Few research studies have investigated naming treatments in people with aphasia as well as unimpaired participants, and previous research has relied heavily on behavioural measures. My current PhD project, therefore, aims to compare the effectiveness of three naming facilitation techniques (which target different cognitive mechanisms) on both healthy individuals and people with aphasia, and considers how these techniques have their effects at a cognitive level using functional magnetic resonance imaging technology. The project will also provide further insight into models of language processing, specifically the theoretical underpinnings of word production in a cognitive neuropsychological context. Outcomes of this research will include a significant advance in our understanding of the neural and cognitive mechanisms underlying naming facilitation, and ultimately enhance rehabilitative outcomes for people suffering from aphasia as a result of brain injury.
Authors: Shiree Heath, Anna Holmes, Katie McMahon, Lyndsey Nickels, Tony Angwin and David Copland
Event: SF08: Speed Papers