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Journal of Communication Disorders 2023Prosody serves central functions in language processing including linguistic functions (linguistic prosody), like structuring the speech signal. Impairments in... (Review)
Review
A systematic review on production and comprehension of linguistic prosody in people with acquired language and communication disorders resulting from unilateral brain lesions.
BACKGROUND
Prosody serves central functions in language processing including linguistic functions (linguistic prosody), like structuring the speech signal. Impairments in production and comprehension of linguistic prosody have been described for persons with unilateral right (RHDP) or left hemisphere damage (LHDP). However, reported results differ with respect to the characteristics and severities of these impairments AIMS: We conducted a systematic literature review focusing on production and comprehension of linguistic prosody at the prosody-syntax interface (i.e., phrase or sentence level) in LHDP and RHDP.
METHODS & PROCEDURES
In a systematic literature search we included: (i) empirical studies with (ii) adult RHDP and/or LHDP (iii) investigating production and/or comprehension of linguistic prosody at the (iv) phrase or sentence level (v) reporting quantitative data on prosodic measures. We excluded overview papers; studies involving participants with dysarthria, apraxia of speech, foreign accent syndrome, psychiatric diseases, and/or neurodegenerative diseases; studies focusing primarily on emotional prosody; and on lexical stress / word level; studies of which no full text was available and/or that were published in a language other than English. We searched the databases BIOSIS, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PSYNDEX, PsycINFO and speechBITE, last searched on January 13 2022.We found 2,631 studies without duplicates. We identified 43 studies which were included into our systematic review. For data extraction and synthesis of results, we grouped studies by (i) modality (production vs. comprehension), (ii) function (syntactic structure vs. information structure), and (iii) by experiment task. For production studies, outcome measures were defined as the productive use of the different prosodic cues (lengthening, pause, f0, amplitude). For comprehension studies, performance measures (accuracy and reaction times) were defined as outcome measures. In accordance with the PRISMA 2020 statement (Page et al., 2021), we conducted a quality check to assess study risk of bias. Our review was pre-registered with PROSPERO (CRD42019120308).
OUTCOMES & RESULTS
Of the 43 studies reviewed, 30 studies involved RHDP (n = 309), assessing production in 15 studies and focusing on comprehension of prosody in 16 studies (one study investigated production and comprehension). LHDP (n = 438) were included in 35 studies of which 15 studied production and 21 evaluated comprehension of prosody (one study investigated production and comprehension). Despite the heterogeneity of results in the studies reviewed, our synthesis of results suggests that both LHDP and RHDP show limitations, but no complete impairment, in their production and/or comprehension of linguistic prosody. Prosodic limitations are evident in different areas of processing linguistic prosody, like syntactic disambiguation or the distinction between sentence types. There is a tendency towards more severe limitations in LHDP as compared to RHDP.
CONCLUSIONS
We only included published studies into our review and did not perform an assessment of risk of reporting bias as well as systematic certainty assessments of the outcomes. Despite these limitations, we conclude that both groups show deficits in production and comprehension of linguistic prosody, but neither LHDP nor RHDP are completely impaired in their prosodic processing. This suggests that prosody is a relevant communicative resource for LHDP and RHDP worth being addressed in speech-language-therapy.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Comprehension; Language; Linguistics; Communication Disorders; Brain; Speech Perception
PubMed: 36623377
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2022.106298 -
International Journal of Stroke :... Oct 2023Aphasia is a common consequence of stroke, and people who live with this condition experience poor outcomes. Adherence to clinical practice guidelines can promote... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Aphasia is a common consequence of stroke, and people who live with this condition experience poor outcomes. Adherence to clinical practice guidelines can promote high-quality service delivery and optimize patient outcomes. However, there are currently no high-quality guidelines specific to post-stroke aphasia management.
AIMS
To identify and evaluate recommendations from high-quality stroke guidelines that can inform aphasia management.
SUMMARY OF REVIEW
We conducted an updated systematic review in accordance with PRISMA guidelines to identify high-quality clinical guidelines published between January 2015 and October 2022. Primary searches were performed using electronic databases: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Science. Gray literature searches were conducted using Google Scholar, guideline databases, and stroke websites. Clinical practice guidelines were evaluated using the Appraisal of Guidelines and Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) tool. Recommendations were extracted from high-quality guidelines (scored > 66.7% on Domain 3: "Rigor of Development"), classified as aphasia-specific or aphasia-related, and categorized into clinical practice areas. Evidence ratings and source citations were assessed, and similar recommendations were grouped. Twenty-three stroke clinical practice guidelines were identified and 9 (39%) met our criteria for rigor of development. From these guidelines, 82 recommendations for aphasia management were extracted: 31 were aphasia-specific, 51 aphasia-related, 67 evidence-based, and 15 consensus-based.
CONCLUSION
More than half of stroke clinical practice guidelines identified did not meet our criteria for rigorous development. We identified 9 high-quality guidelines and 82 recommendations to inform aphasia management. Most recommendations were aphasia-related; aphasia-specific recommendation gaps were identified in three clinical practice areas: "accessing community supports," "return to work, leisure, driving," and "interprofessional practice."
Topics: Humans; Stroke; Aphasia; Databases, Factual; PubMed; Consensus
PubMed: 36803248
DOI: 10.1177/17474930231161454 -
Cureus Jul 2021Locked-in syndrome (LIS) is a neurological disorder in which there is damage to the ventral pons and caudal midbrain. An ischemic cause, such as basilar artery... (Review)
Review
Locked-in syndrome (LIS) is a neurological disorder in which there is damage to the ventral pons and caudal midbrain. An ischemic cause, such as basilar artery occlusion, can often lead to LIS. LIS has three subtypes: classical, partial, and total. There is loss of motion in the four extremities in classical LIS, loss of horizontal gaze, and aphasia. In partial LIS, the patient still has some motor function. Complete LIS has the worst outcome because patients cannot blink or have vertical gaze, thus rendering them incapable of communicating. Most cases of LIS occur due to ischemic infarcts. These patients require a great deal of physical rehabilitation to regain partial motor ability and a means to communicate. While the clinical features and pathophysiology are known, the prognosis and long-term treatment remain unknown. We conducted a systematic review using the Meta-Analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) protocol. We use an advanced PubMed strategy using the inclusion criteria of observational studies or clinical trials conducted in the last 20 years, written in English, and conducted on humans. We excluded systematic reviews, literature reviews, metanalysis, and studies that did not meet the outcomes of our objectives. The prognosis of LIS is not good, and most patients remain locked in, with poor quality of life, especially motor functions. Respiratory failure and depression are big comorbidities. In the acute setting, patients benefit from rapid intervention. The subacute treatment needs to manage aggressively to improve functional scores best. The long-term treatment focus is on the quality of life and managing comorbidities.
PubMed: 34471579
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.16727 -
Annals of Palliative Medicine May 2021It was to examine the influence of preoperative doctor-patient communication (D-PC) on surgery, and to improve the postoperative recovery effect of patients via... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
It was to examine the influence of preoperative doctor-patient communication (D-PC) on surgery, and to improve the postoperative recovery effect of patients via meta-analysis.
METHODS
Meta-analysis was performed to study the influence of preoperative D-PC on surgery and improve the postoperative recovery effect of patients. Boolean logic search method was adopted, and "Preoperative communication", "psychological counseling", "Surgical effect", and "D-PC" were set as search terms. Literature retrieval of PubMed, Medline, and CNKI from the establishment to the present was conducted. Literatures that performed comparative studies and set group without preoperative communication between doctors and patients as a control were screened. Review Manager (RevMan) was adopted to carry out meta-analysis.
RESULTS
Fifteen papers were selected in this analysis, most of which were of low-risk bias (medium or high quality). Meta-analysis revealed that there was no statistical heterogeneity in postoperative speech function between control and experimental groups (Chi2 =1.04, I2=0%, P=0.96), and postoperative speech function of experimental group was remarkably better in contrast to control group (Z=4.09, P<0.00001). No statistical heterogeneity was found in the Asiatic aphasia test (AAT) results between two groups (Chi2 =3.77, I2=0%, P=0.44), and there was no considerable difference in AAT test results between groups (Z=1.37, P=0.17). There was statistical heterogeneity in the postoperative quality of life scores between different groups (Chi2 =115.99, I2=97%, P<0.00001), and postoperative quality of life scores of patients in experimental group were greatly superior to the control (Z=1.98, P=0.05). There was statistical heterogeneity in daily communication ability between groups (Chi2 =14.60, I2=73%, P=0.006), and daily communication ability of patients in experimental group was substantially stronger in contrast to the control (Z=7.40, P<0.00001).
DISCUSSION
Through meta-analysis methods, it was found that preoperative D-PC can effectively improve the postoperative speech function and daily communication ability recovery of patients, the postoperative quality of life, and the postoperative recovery of patients.
Topics: Counseling; Humans; Physician-Patient Relations; Quality of Life; Surgical Procedures, Operative
PubMed: 34107721
DOI: 10.21037/apm-21-1058 -
Journal of Communication Disorders 2023Autoimmune neurological diseases (ANDs) are a specific type of autoimmune disease that affect cells within the central and peripheral nervous system. ANDs trigger... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Autoimmune neurological diseases (ANDs) are a specific type of autoimmune disease that affect cells within the central and peripheral nervous system. ANDs trigger various physical/neuropsychiatric symptoms. However, language impairments in people with ANDs are not well characterized. Here we aimed to determine the kinds of language impairment that most commonly emerge in 10 ANDs, the characteristics of the patients (demographic, neurological damage), and the assessment methods used.
METHODS
We followed the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). PubMed and Google Scholar were searched. We used a list of search terms containing 10 types of ANDs (e.g., multiple sclerosis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis) in combination with the terms aphasia, dysphasia, fluency, language, listening, morphology, phonology, pragmatics, reading, semantics, speaking, syntax, writing. The reference lists and citations of the relevant papers were also investigated. The type of AND, patient characteristics, neurological damage and examination technique, language tests administered, and main findings were noted for each study meeting the inclusion criteria.
RESULTS
We found 171 studies meeting our inclusion criteria. These comprised group studies and case studies. Language impairments differed largely among types of ANDs. Neurological findings were mentioned in most of the papers, but specific language tests were rarely used.
CONCLUSIONS
Language symptoms in people with ANDs are commonly reported. These are often not full descriptions or only focus on specific time points in the course of the disease. Future research needs to assess specific language functions in people with ANDs and relate their language impairments to brain damage at different stages of disease evolution.
Topics: Humans; Aphasia; Linguistics; Language Tests; Language Development Disorders
PubMed: 37717472
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2023.106368 -
Annals of Medicine and Surgery (2012) Jan 2024Snakebites, a major health concern in developing countries, affect rural farming communities. Venom, primarily neurotoxin, injected during a snake bite disrupts the... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Snakebites, a major health concern in developing countries, affect rural farming communities. Venom, primarily neurotoxin, injected during a snake bite disrupts the nervous system, causing symptoms like muscle weakness, paralysis, altered sensation, and coordination issues. This review focuses on evaluating neurological and neuro-ophthalmological manifestations associated with snakebites.
METHODS
A database search was conducted in EMBASE and PubMed for studies published from 2000 to 2023. The investigation centered on examining neurological and neuro-ophthalmological symptoms and signs, treatment approaches, treatment outcomes, and long-term complications of snake bites.
RESULTS
Neurological and neuro-ophthalmological symptoms were common in both neurotoxic and hemotoxic snake bites, especially in neurotoxic cases. Ptosis was a prevalent manifestation across various snake bites, along with respiratory paralysis, limb weakness, dysphasia, and visual disturbances in some instances. However, most patients improved without residual neurological symptoms after treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
Understanding patterns of neurological manifestations contributes valuable insights for the comprehensive management of snakebite.
PubMed: 38222724
DOI: 10.1097/MS9.0000000000001523 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... May 2012Aphasia is an acquired language impairment following brain damage that affects some or all language modalities: expression and understanding of speech, reading and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Aphasia is an acquired language impairment following brain damage that affects some or all language modalities: expression and understanding of speech, reading and writing. Approximately one-third of people who have a stroke experience aphasia.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effectiveness of speech and language therapy (SLT) for aphasia following stroke.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (last searched June 2011), MEDLINE (1966 to July 2011) and CINAHL (1982 to July 2011). In an effort to identify further published, unpublished and ongoing trials we handsearched the International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders (1969 to 2005) and reference lists of relevant articles and contacted academic institutions and other researchers. There were no language restrictions.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing SLT (a formal intervention that aims to improve language and communication abilities, activity and participation) with (1) no SLT; (2) social support or stimulation (an intervention that provides social support and communication stimulation but does not include targeted therapeutic interventions); and (3) another SLT intervention (which differed in duration, intensity, frequency, intervention methodology or theoretical approach).
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
We independently extracted the data and assessed the quality of included trials. We sought missing data from investigators.
MAIN RESULTS
We included 39 RCTs (51 randomised comparisons) involving 2518 participants in this review. Nineteen randomised comparisons (1414 participants) compared SLT with no SLT where SLT resulted in significant benefits to patients' functional communication (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.30, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.52, P = 0.008), receptive and expressive language. Seven randomised comparisons (432 participants) compared SLT with social support and stimulation but found no evidence of a difference in functional communication. Twenty-five randomised comparisons (910 participants) compared two approaches to SLT. There was no indication of a difference in functional communication. Generally, the trials randomised small numbers of participants across a range of characteristics (age, time since stroke and severity profiles), interventions and outcomes. Suitable statistical data were unavailable for several measures.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Our review provides some evidence of the effectiveness of SLT for people with aphasia following stroke in terms of improved functional communication, receptive and expressive language. However, some trials were poorly reported. The potential benefits of intensive SLT over conventional SLT were confounded by a significantly higher dropout from intensive SLT. More participants also withdrew from social support than SLT interventions. There was insufficient evidence to draw any conclusion regarding the effectiveness of any one specific SLT approach over another.
Topics: Aphasia; Humans; Language Therapy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Social Support; Speech Therapy; Stroke
PubMed: 22592672
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000425.pub3 -
Frontiers in Neurology 2022Currently, little is known about Chinese-speaking primary progressive aphasia (PPA) patients compared to patients who speak Indo-European languages. We examined the...
INTRODUCTION
Currently, little is known about Chinese-speaking primary progressive aphasia (PPA) patients compared to patients who speak Indo-European languages. We examined the demographics and clinical manifestations, particularly reading and writing characteristics, of Chinese patients with PPA over the last two decades to establish a comprehensive profile and improve diagnosis and care.
METHODS
We reviewed the demographic features, clinical manifestations, and radiological features of Chinese-speaking PPA patients from 56 articles published since 1994. We then summarized the specific reading and writing errors of Chinese-speaking patients.
RESULTS
The average age of onset for Chinese-speaking patients was in their early 60's, and there were slightly more male patients than female patients. The core symptoms and images of Chinese-speaking patients were similar to those of patients who speak Indo-European languages. Reading and writing error patterns differed due to Chinese's distinct tone and orthography. The types of reading errors reported in Chinese-speaking patients with PPA included tonal errors, regularization errors, visually related errors, semantic errors, phonological errors, unrelated errors, and non-response. Among these errors, regularization errors were the most common in semantic variant PPA, and tonal errors were specific to Chinese. Writing errors mainly consisted of non-character errors (stroke, radical/component, visual, pictograph, dyskinetic errors, and spatial errors), phonologically plausible errors, orthographically similar errors, semantic errors, compound word errors, sequence errors, unrelated errors, and non-response.
CONCLUSION
This paper provides the latest comprehensive demographic information and unique presentations on the reading and writing of Chinese-speaking patients with PPA. More detailed studies are needed to address the frequency of errors in reading and writing and their anatomical substrates.
PubMed: 36561305
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1025660 -
Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria (Sao... Mar 2011To identify the therapeutic options available for treatment of cognitive and behavioral symptoms in frontotemporal lobar degeneration. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To identify the therapeutic options available for treatment of cognitive and behavioral symptoms in frontotemporal lobar degeneration.
METHOD
Systematic review using the descriptors "frontotemporal lobar degeneration" OR "frontotemporal dementia" OR "fronto-temporal dementia" OR "fronto-temporal degeneration" OR "Pick's disease" OR "Pick's atrophy" OR "semantic dementia" OR "progressive aphasia" AND "pharmacotherapy" OR "treatment" OR "efficacy" OR "effects" OR "management" was performed in the Medline and Lilacs databases.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Quality A - randomized clinical trials. Quality B - open studies or reports of six or more cases. Quality C - reports of five or fewer cases. Two reviewers independently assessed the clinical studies. Information collected included diagnostic criteria used, sample size, duration, efficacy and tolerability measures used and results obtained.
RESULTS
From the 532 studies found, 29 complied with the inclusion criteria. All studies worked with a small sample, had short duration of treatment and used non-uniform measures in evaluating efficacy and tolerability. Studies showed disparate results with respect to behavior and cognition.
CONCLUSION
There is still little, and poor, evidence available for treatment of frontotemporal lobar degeneration and studies with better methodological background are needed.
Topics: Frontotemporal Dementia; Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration; Humans; Pick Disease of the Brain; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 21537725
DOI: 10.1590/s1516-44462011000100016 -
Clinical Microbiology and Infection :... May 2022Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) presenting with encephalitis is rare and scarcely described. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) presenting with encephalitis is rare and scarcely described.
OBJECTIVES
To describe the available literature on LNB encephalitis and to characterize this patient group through a Scandinavian retrospective cohort study.
DATA SOURCES
Medline, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane library.
STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
There was no discrimination on study type, time of publication or language.
PARTICIPANTS
Review: All articles with definite LNB and confirmed/possible encephalitis.
COHORT
LNB cohorts from Denmark, Sweden and Norway 1990-2019 were screened for patients with encephalitis.
METHODS
Review: Adhering to PRISMA guidelines; two authors extracted reviews and assessed quality of studies.
COHORT
Data on demography, symptoms, cerebrospinal fluid findings, differential diagnostic examinations, treatment, residual symptoms, 1-year mortality were registered.
RESULTS
Review: 2330 articles screened on title/abstract, 281 full texts, yielding 42 articles (case reports/series or cohort studies), including 45 patients from 18 countries spanning 35 years. Altered mental status ranged from personality changes and confusion to unconsciousness. Common focal symptoms were hemiparesis, ataxia and dysarthria; seven patients had seizures. Median time from symptom onset to hospital was 2 weeks (IQR 2-90 days). Of 38 patients with available follow-up after median 12 months (IQR 5-13), 32 had fully or partially recovered, two had died.
COHORT
Thirty-five patients (median age 67 years, IQR 48-76) were included. The encephalitis prevalence was 3.3% (95% CI 2.2-4.4%) among 1019 screened LNB patients. Frequent encephalitis symptoms were confusion, personality changes, aphasia, ataxia. EEGs and neuroimaging showed encephalitis in 93.8% and 20.6%, respectively. Median delay from symptom onset to hospital was 14 days (IQR 7-34), with further 7 days (IQR 3-34) delay until targeted therapy. At follow-up (median 298 days post-treatment; IQR 113-389), 65.6% had residual symptoms. None had died.
CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that encephalitis is an uncommon, but likely overlooked clinical manifestation of LNB. As the high frequency of residual symptoms may be related to prolonged treatment delay, prompt LNB testing of patients with encephalitis in Borrelia burgdorferi-endemic areas should be considered.
Topics: Aged; Ataxia; Cohort Studies; Encephalitis; Humans; Lyme Neuroborreliosis; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 34768019
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2021.11.001