Article

Prior phonological processing can enhance subsequent picture naming performance
in individuals with aphasia, yet the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying this
effect and its longevity are unknown. This study used functional magnetic
resonance imaging to examine the short-term (within minutes) and long-term
(within days) facilitation effects from a phonological task in both participants
with aphasia and age-matched controls. Results for control participants suggested
that long-term facilitation of subsequent picture naming may be driven by a
strengthening of semantic-phonological connections, while semantic and object
recognition mechanisms underlie more short-term effects. All participants with
aphasia significantly improved in naming accuracy following both short- and
long-term facilitation. A descriptive comparison of the neuroimaging results
identified different patterns of activation for each individual with aphasia. The
exclusive engagement of a left hemisphere phonological network underlying
facilitation was not revealed. The findings suggest that improved naming in
aphasia with phonological tasks may be supported by changes in right hemisphere
activity in some individuals and reveal the potential contribution of the
cerebellum to improved naming following phonological facilitation. Conclusions
must be interpreted with caution, however, due to the comparison of corrected
group control results to that of individual participants with aphasia, which were
not corrected for multiple comparisons.
CI - Copyright (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS