Generalization of the effects of phonological training for anomia using structural equation modelling: A multiple single-case study

Abstract

Structural Equation Modelling analysis of three longitudinal er-fMRI sessions was used to test the impact of phonological training and of the generalization process on the pattern of brain connectivity during overt picture naming in two chronic anomic patients. Phonological training yielded a positive effect on the trained material. Six months after the training, a generalization of the positive impact on the untrained items was also observed. Connectivity analysis showed that training and generalization effects shared paralleled cortical patterns of functional integration. These findings may represent the neurophysiological correlate of the training-induced cognitive strategies for the compensation of anomia.

Keywords:

• fMRI
• Aphasia recovery
• Effective connectivity
• Phonological training
• Generalization

This work was supported by a Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada grant (#YJ-13-FMCQ) and by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant (CIHR #MOP15006) to Yves Joanette, by a Italy/Quebec Scientific and Technological Cooperation grant (# RST-RT-05.203) to Yves Joanette and Stefano F. Cappa, and by a fellowship from the Interdisciplinary Training Network in Health and Aging Research to Paolo Vitali (FormSaV). The sponsors had no role in study design or analysis. We thank patients S.A. and G.R. and their families for the time and effort they dedicate to our research. We also thank Dr Lorella Algeri for the evaluation and referral of patient S.A.