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Applied Neuropsychology. Adult 2018Poststroke language disorders are frequent and include aphasia, alexia, agraphia, and acalculia. These disorders refer to an acquired inability to read, write and...
Poststroke language disorders are frequent and include aphasia, alexia, agraphia, and acalculia. These disorders refer to an acquired inability to read, write and calculate. In this study, we evaluated the two year outcomes of writing and reading disorders in poststroke patients, the natural course, recovery and mortality. We evaluated all the patients with stroke who were admitted to the Department of Neurology, University Clinical Centre Tuzla in period of six months, who developed poststroke alexia, agraphia, acalculia, or different combinations of these language disorders. Outcome of these patients was evaluated again after 24 months. For clinical assessment of alexia, agraphia, and acalculia we used Minnesota Test for Differential Diagnosis of Aphasia. We investigated 59 (30.5%) of 193 stroke patients with alexia, agraphia, acalculia, and combinations. Outcome of these patients after 24 months was: 37 (62.7%) died, 13 (22%) fully recovered, and 9 (15.3%) of them retained the same disorder or developed dementia or blindness. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that patients with combined language disorders had significantly higher mortality. The main factors influencing language disorders recovery in this study are initial severity of reading, writing and calculation impairment, age, neglect, and level of education.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Dyslexia; Female; Humans; Language Disorders; Logistic Models; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Neuropsychological Tests; Stroke; Vision Disorders; Writing
PubMed: 28489413
DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2017.1320285 -
Neuropsychology Review Jun 2017Distinct forms of acquired neurocognitive impairment are often described by "a" prefixed terms that derive from ancient Greek (and in one case Latin). Two modern English... (Review)
Review
Distinct forms of acquired neurocognitive impairment are often described by "a" prefixed terms that derive from ancient Greek (and in one case Latin). Two modern English language neurological and neuropsychological reference books were searched to identify 17 such terms in contemporary usage: amnesia, akinesia, ataxia, aphasia, agraphia, anosmia, apraxia, athetosis, ageusia, achromatopsia, agnosia, alexia, amusia, anomia, anarthria, anosognosia, and acalculia. These were traced to their initial association with acquired neurocognitive impairment in German, English, and French language medical publications from the late 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries (1770 through 1920). Some of these terms (e.g., agnosia) were used in ancient Greek, although not associated with neurocognitive impairment. The remainder constitute novel semantically plausible (e.g., anosmia) and unclear (e.g., alexia) formulations. In the localizationist thinking of the time, neurocognition was conceived as being organized within specialized "centers" in specific locations connected by pathways within the brain.
Topics: Cognition Disorders; History, 18th Century; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century; Humans; Nervous System Diseases; Terminology as Topic
PubMed: 28484905
DOI: 10.1007/s11065-017-9346-4 -
Minerva Pediatrica Apr 2018Writing ability requires to use and control several processes of visual and phonological information processing and an adequate programming and coordination of motor...
BACKGROUND
Writing ability requires to use and control several processes of visual and phonological information processing and an adequate programming and coordination of motor sequences. We studied a writing precursor gesture in children with developmental dysorthography and/or developmental dysgraphia in order to point out anomalies to be treated with specific rehabilitative interventions.
METHODS
Twenty-five children affected by developmental dysortography (ICD 9 CM: 315.09; ICD 10: F81.1) and/or developmental dysgraphia (ICD 9 CM: 315.2; ICD 10: F81.8) (mean age 9.1 years [range: 6.3-11.4 years]) ran a maze, project in front of them, using a wireless mouse. Data regarding angular excursions, execution times and gesture accuracy were collected and elaborated using Dartfish 6.0 software and the labyrinth generating program (PRINC), and compared with normative data previously obtained from a sample of 226 healthy children of the same age and grade.
RESULTS
The comparison did not evidence significant differences regarding gesture structure (trajectories of arm segments and angular excursions of interested joints). Angular and temporal execution patterns were reached in delay in these children. No correlation was found with general cognitive and visuomotor integration skills; a deficit of visual attention was associated with an abnormal elbow range of motion.
CONCLUSIONS
Although these findings need to be confirmed in larger studies, data obtained evidence that children with developmental writing disorders have a time delay in the acquisition of writing motor patterns and not an alteration of gesture structure itself. This has relevant implications for the rehabilitative approach.
Topics: Agraphia; Child; Cognition; Developmental Disabilities; Elbow Joint; Female; Humans; Male; Neuropsychological Tests; Range of Motion, Articular; Software; Time Factors; Writing
PubMed: 26899671
DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4946.16.04364-4 -
Cognitive Neuropsychology 2017Developmental deficits in the acquisition of writing skills (developmental dysgraphias) are common and have significant consequences, yet these deficits have received...
Developmental deficits in the acquisition of writing skills (developmental dysgraphias) are common and have significant consequences, yet these deficits have received relatively little attention from researchers. We offer a framework for studying developmental dysgraphias (including both spelling and handwriting deficits), arguing that research should be grounded in theories describing normal cognitive writing mechanisms and the acquisition of these mechanisms. We survey the current state of knowledge concerning developmental dysgraphia, discussing potential proximal and distal causes. One conclusion emerging from this discussion is that developmental writing deficits are diverse in their manifestations and causes. We suggest an agenda for research on developmental dysgraphia, and suggest that pursuing this agenda may contribute not only to a better understanding of developmental writing impairment, but also to a better understanding of normal writing mechanisms and their acquisition. Finally, we provide a brief introduction to the subsequent articles in this special issue on developmental dysgraphia.
Topics: Adult; Agraphia; Behavioral Research; Cognition; Handwriting; Humans; Reading
PubMed: 28906176
DOI: 10.1080/02643294.2017.1369016 -
Journal of Physical Therapy Science Feb 2023[Purpose] To assess the clinical applicability of a novel automated tractography tool named XTRACT during acute stroke rehabilitation. [Participants and Methods] Three...
[Purpose] To assess the clinical applicability of a novel automated tractography tool named XTRACT during acute stroke rehabilitation. [Participants and Methods] Three patients with left hemisphere stroke were sampled. Diffusion tensor images were acquired on the second week, and automated tractography was then applied. Tractography images and fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the corticospinal tract (CST) and arcuate fasciculus (AF) were assessed in relation to hemiparesis and aphasia. [Results] Patient 1 was nearly asymptomatic; FA in the left CST was 0.610 and that in the AF was 0.509. Patient 2 had severe hemiparesis and mild motor aphasia. Tractography images of the CST and AF were blurred; FA in the left CST was 0.295 and that in the AF was 0.304. Patient 3 showed no hemiparesis or aphasia at initial assessment. Tractography image of the CST was intact but that of the AF was less clear; FA in the left CST was 0.586 and that in the AF was 0.338. Considering the less clear images of the AF and lower FA value in Patients 2 and 3, further examinations for aphasia were performed, which revealed agraphia. [Conclusion] Visualization and quantification of neural fibers using automated tractography promoted planning acute care rehabilitative treatment in patients with stroke.
PubMed: 36744203
DOI: 10.1589/jpts.35.156 -
International Journal of Language &... Nov 2020Despite initial underreporting of language dysfunctions in corticobasal syndrome (CBS), aphasia is now recognized as a frequent feature of this disease. Aphasia in CBS...
BACKGROUND
Despite initial underreporting of language dysfunctions in corticobasal syndrome (CBS), aphasia is now recognized as a frequent feature of this disease. Aphasia in CBS seems clinically overlying to a non-fluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia (nfaPPA), which is also a clinical phenotype associated with corticobasal degeneration (CBD) pathology. However, the clinical features of aphasia in CBS still remain poorly delineated, resulting in misjudgements in the differential diagnosis from a PPA presentation of the disease.
AIMS
To investigate the language disorders of this syndrome, also through a systematic examination of recoding skills (reading, written spelling and repetition) and articulatory disturbances, which have been rarely examined in previous studies.
METHODS & PROCEDURES
We present a clinical and neuropsychological descriptive study of the language impairments in a case series of 12 aphasic patients with a clinical diagnosis of CBS. Language assessment was conducted by means of the Esame NeuroPsicologico dell'Afasia, a comprehensive Italian battery for language functions, the Token Test, and the Apraxia of Speech Rating Scale.
OUTCOMES & RESULTS
The language profile of the patients showed a severe expressive language disorder, characterized by non-fluent speech, apraxia of speech (AoS) with predominant stuttering-like dysfluencies, spatial/apraxic agraphia, lack of word-finding and defective sentence repetition. Severe limb apraxia, visual-spatial deficit and alien hand syndrome were also present. Neuroimaging showed bilateral left asymmetric atrophies and hypometabolism in the frontal premotor, parietal posterior and temporal areas.
CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS
These findings suggest that aphasia in CBS might present as a 'mixed PPA', instead of an nfaPPA as previously stated, showing a combination of features of the nfa and logopenic variants of the PPA, associated with AoS, stuttering and agraphia, which might be additional important cognitive markers for the clinical diagnosis of CBS and discriminating features of an nfaPPA presentation of a CBD. These results might also suggest specific intervention areas in the rehabilitation of patients with CBS. What this paper adds What is already known on the subject Language disorders in CBS patients usually present clinically overlying to an nfaPPA, which is also a clinical phenotype associated with CBD pathology, according to recent diagnostic criteria. However, the clinical features of aphasia in CBS still remain poorly delineated, and this raises difficulties and misjudgements for clinicians in the differential diagnosis from a PPA presentation of the disease. What this paper adds to existing knowledge This study shows that the language profile of our CBS patients was characterized by severe expressive language disorders, with non-fluent speech, apraxia of speech (AoS) with predominant stuttering-like dysfluencies, spatial/apraxic agraphia, lack of word-finding, and defective sentence repetition. These findings suggest that aphasia in CBS might present as a 'mixed PPA', rather than an nfaPPA as previously stated, showing a combination of features of the nfa and logopenic variants of the PPA associated with AoS, stuttering and agraphia. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? These results suggest that AoS, stuttering and agraphia might be important additional cognitive markers for the clinical diagnosis of CBS, and discriminating features of an nfaPPA presentation of a CBD. The language disorders exhibited in the present study might also support speech and language therapists in targeting specific intervention areas in the rehabilitation of patients with CBS.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Agraphia; Aphasia; Apraxias; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Female; Humans; Language; Language Tests; Male; Middle Aged; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Neuropsychological Tests; Verbal Behavior
PubMed: 32725870
DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12559 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) May 2023Handwriting learning disabilities, such as dysgraphia, have a serious negative impact on children's academic results, daily life and overall well-being. Early detection...
Handwriting learning disabilities, such as dysgraphia, have a serious negative impact on children's academic results, daily life and overall well-being. Early detection of dysgraphia facilitates an early start of targeted intervention. Several studies have investigated dysgraphia detection using machine learning algorithms with a digital tablet. However, these studies deployed classical machine learning algorithms with manual feature extraction and selection as well as binary classification: either dysgraphia or no dysgraphia. In this work, we investigated the fine grading of handwriting capabilities by predicting the SEMS score (between 0 and 12) with deep learning. Our approach provided a root-mean-square error of less than 1 with automatic instead of manual feature extraction and selection. Furthermore, the SensoGrip smart pen SensoGrip was used, i.e., a pen equipped with sensors to capture handwriting dynamics, instead of a tablet, enabling writing evaluation in more realistic scenarios.
Topics: Child; Humans; Deep Learning; Handwriting; Agraphia; Algorithms; Machine Learning
PubMed: 37299942
DOI: 10.3390/s23115215 -
The Journal of the Association of... Jul 2019Alexia without agraphia (also called pure alexia or word blindness) was the first of the disconnection syndromes to be described. It results from the loss of visual... (Review)
Review
Alexia without agraphia (also called pure alexia or word blindness) was the first of the disconnection syndromes to be described. It results from the loss of visual input to the language area without involvement of the language area. The most common cause is occlusion of the left posterior cerebral artery with involvement of left occipital cortex and the splenium of corpus callosum. However, it can also be caused by any lesion affecting the splenium of corpus callosum disrupting the white matter tracts from the left visual cortex to the angular gyrus. We hereby describe five cases of alexia without agraphia, of which three are due to involvement of the left occipital cortex and splenium, and two are due to involvement of the splenium of corpus callosum alone.
Topics: Alexia, Pure; Cerebral Cortex; Corpus Callosum; Humans; Occipital Lobe
PubMed: 31559778
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Learning Disabilities 2022This article presents the application of the interactive dynamic literacy (IDL) model (Kim, 2020b) toward understanding difficulties in learning to read and write....
This article presents the application of the interactive dynamic literacy (IDL) model (Kim, 2020b) toward understanding difficulties in learning to read and write. According to the IDL model, reading and writing are part of communicative acts that draw on largely shared processes and skills as well as unique processes and skills. As such, reading and writing are dissociable but interdependent systems that have hierarchical, interactive, and dynamic relations. These key tenets of the IDL model are applied to the disruption of reading and writing development to explain co-occurrence of reading-writing difficulties using a single framework. The following hypotheses are presented: (a) co-occurrence between word reading and spelling and handwriting difficulties; (b) co-occurrence of dyslexia with written composition difficulties; (c) co-occurrence between reading comprehension and written composition difficulties; (d) co-occurrence of language difficulties with reading difficulties and writing difficulties; (e) co-occurrence of reading, writing, and language difficulties with weak domain-general skills or executive functions such as working memory and attentional control (including attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]); and (f) multiple pathways for reading and writing difficulties. Implications are discussed.
Topics: Agraphia; Dyslexia; Humans; Literacy; Reading; Writing
PubMed: 35001719
DOI: 10.1177/00222194211060868 -
Neuropathology : Official Journal of... Feb 2023Here, we describe two patients who presented with focal cortical signs and underwent neuropathological examination. Case 1 was a 73-year-old woman with progressive... (Review)
Review
Here, we describe two patients who presented with focal cortical signs and underwent neuropathological examination. Case 1 was a 73-year-old woman with progressive speech disorder and abnormal behavior. She showed agraphia of the frontal lobe type, featured by the omission of kana letters when writing, other than pyramidal tract signs, pseudobulbar palsy, and frontal lobe dementia. Neuropathological examination, including TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) immunohistochemistry, revealed bilateral frontal and anterior temporal lobe lesions accentuated in the precentral gyrus and posterior part of the middle frontal gyrus. Both upper and lower motor neurons showed pathological changes compatible with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Case 2 was a 62-year-old man with progressive speech disorder and hand clumsiness. He had a motor speech disorder, compatible with apraxia of speech, and limb apraxia of the limb-kinetic and ideomotor type. Neuropathological examination revealed degeneration in the left frontal lobe, including the precentral gyrus, anterior temporal, and parietal lobe cortices. Moreover, numerous argyrophilic neuronal intracytoplasmic inclusions (Pick body) and ballooned neurons were observed in these lesions and the limbic system. The pathological diagnosis was Pick disease involving the peri-Rolandic area and parietal lobe. In these two cases, the distribution of neuropathological changes in the cerebral cortices correlated with the clinical symptoms observed.
Topics: Male; Female; Humans; Aged; Middle Aged; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Motor Neurons; Dementia; Temporal Lobe; Apraxias
PubMed: 36328774
DOI: 10.1111/neup.12854