2024
Kaila Cote Amy E. Ramage, Jill C. Thorson
Elucidating a statistical learning brain network: Coordinate-based meta-analyses and functional connectivity profiles of artificial grammar learning in healthy adults Journal Article Forthcoming
In: Imaging Neuroscience, Forthcoming.
@article{nokey,
title = {Elucidating a statistical learning brain network: Coordinate-based meta-analyses and functional connectivity profiles of artificial grammar learning in healthy adults},
author = {Amy E. Ramage, Kaila Cote, Jill C. Thorson, Katelyn Lerner, Michael C. Reidel, Angela R. Laird},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-10-19},
journal = {Imaging Neuroscience},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {forthcoming},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Greenslade, Amy E. Ramage; Abigail L. Rowe; Kathryn J.
Discourse-Level Communication Success in Aphasia: Unveiling Its Significance through Observer's Ratings. Journal Article
In: Seminars in speech and language, 2024, ISSN: 0734-0478.
@article{nokey,
title = { Discourse-Level Communication Success in Aphasia: Unveiling Its Significance through Observer's Ratings.},
author = {Amy E. Ramage; Abigail L. Rowe; Kathryn J. Greenslade},
url = {https://www.thieme-connect.de/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0044-1789622 },
doi = { 10.1055/s-0044-1789622},
issn = { 0734-0478},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-10-03},
urldate = {2024-10-03},
journal = { Seminars in speech and language},
abstract = {Audrey Holland (1982) compared test scores to observers' ratings of conversational communicative success in people with aphasia (PWA). This springboarded a body of evidence employing observers to rate discourse. We review the utility of those ratings for assessing PWA's communication success. A traditional literature review identified 16 articles involving naive or trained raters assessing PWAs' communicative success across discourse genres. Another 10 articles reported ratings over time. Collectively, these studies evaluated 349 PWAs. Four studies utilized observers to rate the success of PWA's conversations. Eight studies that reported observers' ratings on other discourse genres found that multimodal communication and facilitative contexts improved success, and ratings of informativeness and comfort related to objective discourse analysis measures. Nine of 10 studies examining treatment effects found that communicative success ratings captured improvements. Observers' ratings provide social validity by reliably assessing the discourse-level communicative success of PWA. Ratings correlated with standardized diagnostic and objective discourse metrics but provided a window into factors that affect communicative success, including the degree to which communication is interactive, multimodal, and contextual. Integrating observers' ratings of discourse success at pretreatment may help identify supports or barriers to successful communication, facilitate individualization of treatments, and offer social validity of change.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Audrey Holland (1982) compared test scores to observers' ratings of conversational communicative success in people with aphasia (PWA). This springboarded a body of evidence employing observers to rate discourse. We review the utility of those ratings for assessing PWA's communication success. A traditional literature review identified 16 articles involving naive or trained raters assessing PWAs' communicative success across discourse genres. Another 10 articles reported ratings over time. Collectively, these studies evaluated 349 PWAs. Four studies utilized observers to rate the success of PWA's conversations. Eight studies that reported observers' ratings on other discourse genres found that multimodal communication and facilitative contexts improved success, and ratings of informativeness and comfort related to objective discourse analysis measures. Nine of 10 studies examining treatment effects found that communicative success ratings captured improvements. Observers' ratings provide social validity by reliably assessing the discourse-level communicative success of PWA. Ratings correlated with standardized diagnostic and objective discourse metrics but provided a window into factors that affect communicative success, including the degree to which communication is interactive, multimodal, and contextual. Integrating observers' ratings of discourse success at pretreatment may help identify supports or barriers to successful communication, facilitate individualization of treatments, and offer social validity of change.
Ramig, Amy E. Ramage; Kathryn J. Greenslade; Kaila Cote; Jessica N. Lee; Cynthia M. Fox; Angela Halpern; Lorraine O.
In: Frontiers in human neuroscience, vol. 18, pp. 1394948, 2024, ISSN: 1662-5161.
@article{nokey,
title = {Narrative analysis in individuals with Parkinson's disease following intensive voice treatment: secondary outcome variables from a randomized controlled trial.},
author = {Amy E. Ramage; Kathryn J. Greenslade; Kaila Cote; Jessica N. Lee; Cynthia M. Fox; Angela Halpern; Lorraine O. Ramig },
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2024.1394948/full?&utm_source=Email_to_authors_&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=T1_11.5e1_author&utm_campaign=Email_publication&field=&journalName=Frontiers_in_Human_Neuroscience&id=1394948},
doi = { 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1394948},
issn = { 1662-5161},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-05-22},
urldate = {2024-05-22},
journal = {Frontiers in human neuroscience},
volume = {18},
pages = {1394948},
abstract = {Communication is often impaired in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD), typically secondary to sensorimotor deficits impacting voice and speech. Language may also be diminished in PD, particularly for production and comprehension of verbs. Evidence exists that verb processing is influenced by motor system modulation suggesting that verb deficits in PD are underpinned by similarities in the neural representations of actions that span motor and semantic systems. Conversely, subtle differences in cognition in PD may explain difficulty in processing of complex syntactic forms, which increases cognitive demand and is linked to verb use. Here we investigated whether optimizing motor system support for vocal function (improving loudness) affects change in lexical semantic, syntactic, or informativeness aspects of spoken discourse. Picture description narratives were compared for 20 Control participants and 39 with PD, 19 of whom underwent Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD®). Treated PD narratives were also contrasted with those of untreated PD and Control participants at Baseline and after treatment. Controls differed significantly from the 39 PD participants for verbs per utterance, but this difference was largely driven by untreated PD participants who produced few utterances but with verbs, inflating their verbs per utterance. Given intervention, there was a significant increase in vocal loudness but no significant changes in language performance. These data do not support the hypothesis that targeting this speech motor system results in improved language production. Instead, the data provide evidence of considerable variability in measures of language production across groups, particularly in verbs per utterance.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Communication is often impaired in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD), typically secondary to sensorimotor deficits impacting voice and speech. Language may also be diminished in PD, particularly for production and comprehension of verbs. Evidence exists that verb processing is influenced by motor system modulation suggesting that verb deficits in PD are underpinned by similarities in the neural representations of actions that span motor and semantic systems. Conversely, subtle differences in cognition in PD may explain difficulty in processing of complex syntactic forms, which increases cognitive demand and is linked to verb use. Here we investigated whether optimizing motor system support for vocal function (improving loudness) affects change in lexical semantic, syntactic, or informativeness aspects of spoken discourse. Picture description narratives were compared for 20 Control participants and 39 with PD, 19 of whom underwent Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD®). Treated PD narratives were also contrasted with those of untreated PD and Control participants at Baseline and after treatment. Controls differed significantly from the 39 PD participants for verbs per utterance, but this difference was largely driven by untreated PD participants who produced few utterances but with verbs, inflating their verbs per utterance. Given intervention, there was a significant increase in vocal loudness but no significant changes in language performance. These data do not support the hypothesis that targeting this speech motor system results in improved language production. Instead, the data provide evidence of considerable variability in measures of language production across groups, particularly in verbs per utterance.
Bogart, Kathryn J. Greenslade; Cynthia Honan; Lauren Harrington; Laura Kenealy; Amy E. Ramage; Elise
Wishes, beliefs, and jealousy: use of mental state terms in Cinderella retells after traumatic brain injury Journal Article
In: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, vol. 18, pp. 1386227, 2024, ISSN: 1662-5161.
@article{nokey,
title = {Wishes, beliefs, and jealousy: use of mental state terms in Cinderella retells after traumatic brain injury},
author = {Kathryn J. Greenslade; Cynthia Honan; Lauren Harrington; Laura Kenealy; Amy E. Ramage; Elise Bogart},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2024.1386227/full},
doi = {10.3389/fnhum.2024.1386227},
issn = {1662-5161},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-05-14},
urldate = {2024-05-14},
journal = {Frontiers in Human Neuroscience},
volume = {18},
pages = {1386227},
abstract = {Introduction
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) negatively impacts social communication in part due to social cognitive difficulties, which may include reduced mental state term (MST) use in some discourse genres. As social cognitive difficulties can negatively impact relationships, employment, and meaningful everyday activities, assessing and treating these difficulties post-TBI is crucial. To address knowledge gaps, the present study examined MST use in the narrative retells of adults with and without severe TBI to compare between-group performance, evaluate changes over the first two years post-TBI, and investigate the impact of participant and injury-related variables.
Methods
The total number of MSTs, ratio of MSTs to total utterances, and diversity of MSTs were identified in the Cinderella narratives of 57 participants with no brain injury and 57 with TBI at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24-months post-TBI.
Results
Reduced MST use in participants with TBI was found at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post-TBI, but these reductions disappeared when story length (total utterances) was accounted for. Further, MST diversity did not differ between groups. Similarly, although the total number of MSTs increased over time post-TBI, no changes were observed in the ratio of MSTs to total utterances or MST diversity over time. Injury severity (post-traumatic amnesia duration), years of education, and verbal reasoning abilities were all related to MST use.
Discussion
Overall, although individuals used fewer MSTs in complex story retells across the first year following severe TBI, this reduction reflected impoverished story content, rather than the use of a lower ratio of MSTs. Further, key prognostic factors related to MST use included injury severity, educational attainment, and verbal reasoning ability. These findings have important implications for social communication assessment and treatment targeting social cognition post-TBI.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Introduction
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) negatively impacts social communication in part due to social cognitive difficulties, which may include reduced mental state term (MST) use in some discourse genres. As social cognitive difficulties can negatively impact relationships, employment, and meaningful everyday activities, assessing and treating these difficulties post-TBI is crucial. To address knowledge gaps, the present study examined MST use in the narrative retells of adults with and without severe TBI to compare between-group performance, evaluate changes over the first two years post-TBI, and investigate the impact of participant and injury-related variables.
Methods
The total number of MSTs, ratio of MSTs to total utterances, and diversity of MSTs were identified in the Cinderella narratives of 57 participants with no brain injury and 57 with TBI at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24-months post-TBI.
Results
Reduced MST use in participants with TBI was found at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post-TBI, but these reductions disappeared when story length (total utterances) was accounted for. Further, MST diversity did not differ between groups. Similarly, although the total number of MSTs increased over time post-TBI, no changes were observed in the ratio of MSTs to total utterances or MST diversity over time. Injury severity (post-traumatic amnesia duration), years of education, and verbal reasoning abilities were all related to MST use.
Discussion
Overall, although individuals used fewer MSTs in complex story retells across the first year following severe TBI, this reduction reflected impoverished story content, rather than the use of a lower ratio of MSTs. Further, key prognostic factors related to MST use included injury severity, educational attainment, and verbal reasoning ability. These findings have important implications for social communication assessment and treatment targeting social cognition post-TBI.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) negatively impacts social communication in part due to social cognitive difficulties, which may include reduced mental state term (MST) use in some discourse genres. As social cognitive difficulties can negatively impact relationships, employment, and meaningful everyday activities, assessing and treating these difficulties post-TBI is crucial. To address knowledge gaps, the present study examined MST use in the narrative retells of adults with and without severe TBI to compare between-group performance, evaluate changes over the first two years post-TBI, and investigate the impact of participant and injury-related variables.
Methods
The total number of MSTs, ratio of MSTs to total utterances, and diversity of MSTs were identified in the Cinderella narratives of 57 participants with no brain injury and 57 with TBI at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24-months post-TBI.
Results
Reduced MST use in participants with TBI was found at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post-TBI, but these reductions disappeared when story length (total utterances) was accounted for. Further, MST diversity did not differ between groups. Similarly, although the total number of MSTs increased over time post-TBI, no changes were observed in the ratio of MSTs to total utterances or MST diversity over time. Injury severity (post-traumatic amnesia duration), years of education, and verbal reasoning abilities were all related to MST use.
Discussion
Overall, although individuals used fewer MSTs in complex story retells across the first year following severe TBI, this reduction reflected impoverished story content, rather than the use of a lower ratio of MSTs. Further, key prognostic factors related to MST use included injury severity, educational attainment, and verbal reasoning ability. These findings have important implications for social communication assessment and treatment targeting social cognition post-TBI.
Ramage, Kathryn J. Greenslade; Elise Bogart; Joanna Gyory; Serena Jaskolka; Amy E.
Story Grammar Analyses Capture Discourse Improvement in the First 2 Years Following a Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Journal Article
In: American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, vol. 33, iss. 2, pp. 1004-1020, 2024.
@article{nokey,
title = {Story Grammar Analyses Capture Discourse Improvement in the First 2 Years Following a Severe Traumatic Brain Injury},
author = {Kathryn J. Greenslade; Elise Bogart; Joanna Gyory; Serena Jaskolka; Amy E. Ramage },
url = {https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2023_AJSLP-23-00269},
doi = {10.1044/2023_AJSLP-23-00269},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-03-07},
urldate = {2024-03-07},
journal = {American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology},
volume = {33},
issue = {2},
pages = {1004-1020},
abstract = {Purpose:
Narration within a story grammar framework requires speakers to organize characters and events logically. Despite abundant research characterizing narrative deficits following a traumatic brain injury (TBI), the evolution of narrative story grammar over the first 2 years post-TBI has rarely been explored. This study analyzed story grammar in complex narratives of adults with and without severe TBI to (a) examine between-group differences and (b) investigate longitudinal changes over the first 2 years post-TBI.
Method:
Story grammar analyses of Cinderella narratives from 57 participants with TBI and 57 participants with no brain injury yielded measures of productivity (total number of episodes, total number of story grammar elements), elaboration (total number of elaborated–complete episodes, mean number of episodic elements per episode), and completeness (total number of incomplete episodes). Mann–Whitney U tests compared measures across groups; generalized estimating equation (GEE) models identified predictors of change, including recovery time (3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 months post-TBI) and demographic/injury-related characteristics.
Results:
Between-group differences were statistically significant for all productivity and elaboration measures at 3, 6, and 9 months post-TBI; one productivity measure and one elaboration measure at 12 months; and none of the measures at 24 months. GEE models showed significant improvements in all productivity and elaboration measures over the first 24 months post-TBI, with educational attainment and duration of posttraumatic amnesia affecting recovery. Incomplete episodes only showed between-group differences at 12 months and did not capture recovery.
Conclusion:
Productivity and elaboration are key story grammar variables that (a) differentiate complex narration in individuals with and without severe TBI and (b) capture narrative improvements over the first 2 years post-TBI.
Supplemental Material:
https://doi-org.unh.idm.oclc.org/10.23641/asha.25148999},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Purpose:
Narration within a story grammar framework requires speakers to organize characters and events logically. Despite abundant research characterizing narrative deficits following a traumatic brain injury (TBI), the evolution of narrative story grammar over the first 2 years post-TBI has rarely been explored. This study analyzed story grammar in complex narratives of adults with and without severe TBI to (a) examine between-group differences and (b) investigate longitudinal changes over the first 2 years post-TBI.
Method:
Story grammar analyses of Cinderella narratives from 57 participants with TBI and 57 participants with no brain injury yielded measures of productivity (total number of episodes, total number of story grammar elements), elaboration (total number of elaborated–complete episodes, mean number of episodic elements per episode), and completeness (total number of incomplete episodes). Mann–Whitney U tests compared measures across groups; generalized estimating equation (GEE) models identified predictors of change, including recovery time (3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 months post-TBI) and demographic/injury-related characteristics.
Results:
Between-group differences were statistically significant for all productivity and elaboration measures at 3, 6, and 9 months post-TBI; one productivity measure and one elaboration measure at 12 months; and none of the measures at 24 months. GEE models showed significant improvements in all productivity and elaboration measures over the first 24 months post-TBI, with educational attainment and duration of posttraumatic amnesia affecting recovery. Incomplete episodes only showed between-group differences at 12 months and did not capture recovery.
Conclusion:
Productivity and elaboration are key story grammar variables that (a) differentiate complex narration in individuals with and without severe TBI and (b) capture narrative improvements over the first 2 years post-TBI.
Supplemental Material:
https://doi-org.unh.idm.oclc.org/10.23641/asha.25148999
Narration within a story grammar framework requires speakers to organize characters and events logically. Despite abundant research characterizing narrative deficits following a traumatic brain injury (TBI), the evolution of narrative story grammar over the first 2 years post-TBI has rarely been explored. This study analyzed story grammar in complex narratives of adults with and without severe TBI to (a) examine between-group differences and (b) investigate longitudinal changes over the first 2 years post-TBI.
Method:
Story grammar analyses of Cinderella narratives from 57 participants with TBI and 57 participants with no brain injury yielded measures of productivity (total number of episodes, total number of story grammar elements), elaboration (total number of elaborated–complete episodes, mean number of episodic elements per episode), and completeness (total number of incomplete episodes). Mann–Whitney U tests compared measures across groups; generalized estimating equation (GEE) models identified predictors of change, including recovery time (3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 months post-TBI) and demographic/injury-related characteristics.
Results:
Between-group differences were statistically significant for all productivity and elaboration measures at 3, 6, and 9 months post-TBI; one productivity measure and one elaboration measure at 12 months; and none of the measures at 24 months. GEE models showed significant improvements in all productivity and elaboration measures over the first 24 months post-TBI, with educational attainment and duration of posttraumatic amnesia affecting recovery. Incomplete episodes only showed between-group differences at 12 months and did not capture recovery.
Conclusion:
Productivity and elaboration are key story grammar variables that (a) differentiate complex narration in individuals with and without severe TBI and (b) capture narrative improvements over the first 2 years post-TBI.
Supplemental Material:
https://doi-org.unh.idm.oclc.org/10.23641/asha.25148999
2022
Ramage, Amy E.; Ray, Kimberly L.; Franz, Hannah M.; Tate, David F.; Lewis, Jeffrey D.; Robin, Donald A.
Cingulo-Opercular and Frontoparietal Network Control of Effort and Fatigue in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Journal Article
In: Frontiers of Human Neuroscience, vol. 15, pp. 788091, 2022.
@article{25852,
title = {Cingulo-Opercular and Frontoparietal Network Control of Effort and Fatigue in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury},
author = {Amy E. Ramage and Kimberly L. Ray and Hannah M. Franz and David F. Tate and Jeffrey D. Lewis and Donald A. Robin},
url = {10.3389/fnhum.2021.788091},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-01-01},
journal = {Frontiers of Human Neuroscience},
volume = {15},
pages = {788091},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
2020
Ramage, A. E.
Potential for Cognitive Communication Impairment in COVID-19 Survivors: A Call to Action for Speech-Language Pathologists Journal Article
In: American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 1821-1832, 2020.
@article{22565,
title = {Potential for Cognitive Communication Impairment in COVID-19 Survivors: A Call to Action for Speech-Language Pathologists},
author = {A. E. Ramage},
url = {https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2020_AJSLP-20-00147
https://sites.usnh.edu/cobalt/wp-content/uploads/sites/200/2023/09/ramage_amy_e_2020_potential_for_cognitive_communication_impairment_i-1.pdf},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
urldate = {2020-01-01},
journal = {American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology},
volume = {29},
number = {4},
pages = {1821-1832},
abstract = {Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is the virus resulting in COVID-19 infections in nearly 4.3 million Americans with COVID-19 in the United States as of July 29, 2020, with nearly 150,000 deaths and hundreds of thousands of survivors (https://www.coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html). This tutorial reviews (a) what has been reported about neurological insults in cases of COVID-19 infection, (b) what is known from similar conditions in other disorders, and (c) how that combined information can inform clinical decision making.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is the virus resulting in COVID-19 infections in nearly 4.3 million Americans with COVID-19 in the United States as of July 29, 2020, with nearly 150,000 deaths and hundreds of thousands of survivors (https://www.coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html). This tutorial reviews (a) what has been reported about neurological insults in cases of COVID-19 infection, (b) what is known from similar conditions in other disorders, and (c) how that combined information can inform clinical decision making.
Ramage, AE; Aytur, S.; Ballard, KJ
In: Journal of Speech-Language-Hearing Research, 2020.
@article{20708,
title = {Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Connectivity Between Semantic and Phonological Regions of Interest May Inform Language Targets in Aphasia},
author = {AE Ramage and S. Aytur and KJ Ballard},
url = {https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2020_JSLHR-19-00117
https://sites.usnh.edu/cobalt/wp-content/uploads/sites/200/2023/09/ramage_amy_e._et_al._-_resting-state_functional_magnetic_resonance_imagin.pdf},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
urldate = {2020-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Speech-Language-Hearing Research},
abstract = {Purpose Brain imaging has provided puzzle pieces in the understanding of language. In neurologically healthy populations, the structure of certain brain regions is associated with particular language functions (e.g., semantics, phonology). In studies on focal brain damage, certain brain regions or connections are considered sufficient or necessary for a given language function. However, few of these account for the effects of lesioned tissue on the “functional” dynamics of the brain for language processing. Here, functional connectivity (FC) among semantic–phonological regions of interest (ROIs) is assessed to fill a gap in our understanding about the neural substrates of impaired language and whether connectivity strength can predict language performance on a clinical tool in individuals with aphasia. Method Clinical assessment of language, using the Western Aphasia Battery–Revised, and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were obtained for 30 individuals with chronic aphasia secondary to left-hemisphere stroke and 18 age-matched healthy controls. FC between bilateral ROIs was contrasted by group and used to predict Western Aphasia Battery–Revised scores. Results Network coherence was observed in healthy controls and participants with stroke. The left–right premotor cortex connection was stronger in healthy controls, as reported by New et al. (2015) in the same data set. FC of (a) connections between temporal regions, in the left hemisphere and bilaterally, predicted lexical–semantic processing for auditory comprehension and (b) ipsilateral connections between temporal and frontal regions in both hemispheres predicted access to semantic–phonological representations and processing for verbal production. Conclusions Network connectivity of brain regions associated with semantic–phonological processing is predictive of language performance in poststroke aphasia. The most predictive connections involved right-hemisphere ROIs—particularly those for which structural adaptions are known to associate with recovered word retrieval performance. Predictions may be made, based on these findings, about which connections have potential as targets for neuroplastic functional changes with intervention in aphasia. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12735785},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Purpose Brain imaging has provided puzzle pieces in the understanding of language. In neurologically healthy populations, the structure of certain brain regions is associated with particular language functions (e.g., semantics, phonology). In studies on focal brain damage, certain brain regions or connections are considered sufficient or necessary for a given language function. However, few of these account for the effects of lesioned tissue on the “functional” dynamics of the brain for language processing. Here, functional connectivity (FC) among semantic–phonological regions of interest (ROIs) is assessed to fill a gap in our understanding about the neural substrates of impaired language and whether connectivity strength can predict language performance on a clinical tool in individuals with aphasia. Method Clinical assessment of language, using the Western Aphasia Battery–Revised, and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were obtained for 30 individuals with chronic aphasia secondary to left-hemisphere stroke and 18 age-matched healthy controls. FC between bilateral ROIs was contrasted by group and used to predict Western Aphasia Battery–Revised scores. Results Network coherence was observed in healthy controls and participants with stroke. The left–right premotor cortex connection was stronger in healthy controls, as reported by New et al. (2015) in the same data set. FC of (a) connections between temporal regions, in the left hemisphere and bilaterally, predicted lexical–semantic processing for auditory comprehension and (b) ipsilateral connections between temporal and frontal regions in both hemispheres predicted access to semantic–phonological representations and processing for verbal production. Conclusions Network connectivity of brain regions associated with semantic–phonological processing is predictive of language performance in poststroke aphasia. The most predictive connections involved right-hemisphere ROIs—particularly those for which structural adaptions are known to associate with recovered word retrieval performance. Predictions may be made, based on these findings, about which connections have potential as targets for neuroplastic functional changes with intervention in aphasia. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12735785
Stark, BC; Dutta, M; Murray, L; Bryant, L; Fromm, D; MacWhinney, B; Ramage, AE; Roberts, A; Ouden, D; Brock, K; Paek, EJ; Harmon, T; Yoon, SO; Themistokleous, C; Yoo, H; Aveni, K; Gutierrez, S; Sharma, S
Standardizing assessment of spoken discourse in aphasia: A working group with deliverables Journal Article
In: American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 2020.
@article{20706,
title = {Standardizing assessment of spoken discourse in aphasia: A working group with deliverables},
author = {BC Stark and M Dutta and L Murray and L Bryant and D Fromm and B MacWhinney and AE Ramage and A Roberts and D Ouden and K Brock and EJ Paek and T Harmon and SO Yoon and C Themistokleous and H Yoo and K Aveni and S Gutierrez and S Sharma},
url = {https://pubs.asha.org/doi/abs/10.1044/2020_AJSLP-19-00093
https://sites.usnh.edu/cobalt/wp-content/uploads/sites/200/2023/09/stark_brielle_c._et_al._-_standardizing_assessment_of_spoken_discourse_in_ap.pdf},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
urldate = {2020-01-01},
journal = {American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology},
abstract = {Purpose The heterogeneous nature of measures, methods, and analyses reported in the aphasia spoken discourse literature precludes comparison of outcomes across studies (e.g., meta-analyses) and inhibits replication. Furthermore, funding and time constraints significantly hinder collecting test–retest data on spoken discourse outcomes. This research note describes the development and structure of a working group, designed to address major gaps in the spoken discourse aphasia literature, including a lack of standardization in methodology, analysis, and reporting, as well as nominal data regarding the psychometric properties of spoken discourse outcomes. Method The initial initiatives for this working group are to (a) propose recommendations regarding standardization of spoken discourse collection, analysis, and reporting in aphasia, based on the results of an international survey and a systematic literature review and (b) create a database of test–retest spoken discourse data from individuals with and without aphasia. The survey of spoken discourse collection, analysis, and interpretation procedures was distributed to clinicians and researchers involved in aphasia assessment and rehabilitation from September to November 2019. We will publish survey results and recommend standards for collecting, analyzing, and reporting spoken discourse in aphasia. A multisite endeavor to collect test–retest spoken discourse data from individuals with and without aphasia will be initiated. This test–retest information will be contributed to a central site for transcription and analysis, and data will be subsequently openly curated. Conclusion The goal of the working group is to create recommendations for field-wide standards in methods, analysis, and reporting of spoken discourse outcomes, as has been done across other related disciplines (e.g., Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials, Enhancing the Quality and Transparency of Health Research, Committee on Best Practice in Data Analysis and Sharing). Additionally, the creation of a database through our multisite collaboration will allow the identification of psychometrically sound outcome measures and norms that can be used by clinicians and researchers to assess spoken discourse abilities in aphasia.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Purpose The heterogeneous nature of measures, methods, and analyses reported in the aphasia spoken discourse literature precludes comparison of outcomes across studies (e.g., meta-analyses) and inhibits replication. Furthermore, funding and time constraints significantly hinder collecting test–retest data on spoken discourse outcomes. This research note describes the development and structure of a working group, designed to address major gaps in the spoken discourse aphasia literature, including a lack of standardization in methodology, analysis, and reporting, as well as nominal data regarding the psychometric properties of spoken discourse outcomes. Method The initial initiatives for this working group are to (a) propose recommendations regarding standardization of spoken discourse collection, analysis, and reporting in aphasia, based on the results of an international survey and a systematic literature review and (b) create a database of test–retest spoken discourse data from individuals with and without aphasia. The survey of spoken discourse collection, analysis, and interpretation procedures was distributed to clinicians and researchers involved in aphasia assessment and rehabilitation from September to November 2019. We will publish survey results and recommend standards for collecting, analyzing, and reporting spoken discourse in aphasia. A multisite endeavor to collect test–retest spoken discourse data from individuals with and without aphasia will be initiated. This test–retest information will be contributed to a central site for transcription and analysis, and data will be subsequently openly curated. Conclusion The goal of the working group is to create recommendations for field-wide standards in methods, analysis, and reporting of spoken discourse outcomes, as has been done across other related disciplines (e.g., Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials, Enhancing the Quality and Transparency of Health Research, Committee on Best Practice in Data Analysis and Sharing). Additionally, the creation of a database through our multisite collaboration will allow the identification of psychometrically sound outcome measures and norms that can be used by clinicians and researchers to assess spoken discourse abilities in aphasia.
Greenslade, KJ; Stuart, JEB; Richardson, JD; Dalton, SG; Ramage, AE
Macrostructural Analyses of Cinderella Narratives in a Large Nonclinical Sample Journal Article
In: American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 2020.
@article{20703,
title = {Macrostructural Analyses of Cinderella Narratives in a Large Nonclinical Sample},
author = {KJ Greenslade and JEB Stuart and JD Richardson and SG Dalton and AE Ramage},
url = {https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2020_AJSLP-19-00151
https://sites.usnh.edu/cobalt/wp-content/uploads/sites/200/2023/09/greenslade_kathryn_j._et_al._-_macrostructural_analyses_of_cinderella_narratives_.pdf},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
urldate = {2020-01-01},
journal = {American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology},
abstract = {Purpose Macrostructural narrative analyses are important clinical measures, revealing age-related declines and disorder-related impairments in the accuracy, completeness, logical sequencing, and organization of content. The current study aims to provide preliminary data on typical aging and psychometric evidence supporting multilevel Main Concept, Sequencing, and Story Grammar (MSSG) analyses that capture these aspects of narratives. Method Transcripts of Cinderella narratives for 92 healthy control participants stratified across four age brackets from the online database AphasiaBank were coded by Richardson and Dalton (2016) for main concept (MC) analysis. In the current study, MSSG analyses were completed for (a) logical sequencing, independently and in combination with MC accuracy and completeness (MC + sequencing), and (b) story grammar organization (i.e., inclusion of episodic components and complexity of episodes). Interrater agreement (99%–100%) revealed highly reliable scoring. Results Descriptive statistics for the typically aging sample are presented for sequencing, MC + sequencing, total episodic components, and episodic complexity. Scores for participants over 60 years of age were lower (poorer) than scores for those 20–59 years of age, supporting the construct validity of score use for identifying age-related declines in performance. Conclusions This study’s novel MSSG analyses of narrative production efficiently assess the logical sequencing and story grammar organization of content in healthy controls. Preliminary reliability and validity evidence support the use of all scores to measure age-related changes in narrative macrostructure. Data from this typically aging sample provide a foundation for future research and clinical assessment aimed at quantifying narrative deficits in adults with communication disorders. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12683495},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Purpose Macrostructural narrative analyses are important clinical measures, revealing age-related declines and disorder-related impairments in the accuracy, completeness, logical sequencing, and organization of content. The current study aims to provide preliminary data on typical aging and psychometric evidence supporting multilevel Main Concept, Sequencing, and Story Grammar (MSSG) analyses that capture these aspects of narratives. Method Transcripts of Cinderella narratives for 92 healthy control participants stratified across four age brackets from the online database AphasiaBank were coded by Richardson and Dalton (2016) for main concept (MC) analysis. In the current study, MSSG analyses were completed for (a) logical sequencing, independently and in combination with MC accuracy and completeness (MC + sequencing), and (b) story grammar organization (i.e., inclusion of episodic components and complexity of episodes). Interrater agreement (99%–100%) revealed highly reliable scoring. Results Descriptive statistics for the typically aging sample are presented for sequencing, MC + sequencing, total episodic components, and episodic complexity. Scores for participants over 60 years of age were lower (poorer) than scores for those 20–59 years of age, supporting the construct validity of score use for identifying age-related declines in performance. Conclusions This study’s novel MSSG analyses of narrative production efficiently assess the logical sequencing and story grammar organization of content in healthy controls. Preliminary reliability and validity evidence support the use of all scores to measure age-related changes in narrative macrostructure. Data from this typically aging sample provide a foundation for future research and clinical assessment aimed at quantifying narrative deficits in adults with communication disorders. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12683495
2019
Lee, Jessica N
Semantic Network Resting State Connectivity in Healthy Controls and Persons with Aphasia Presentation
01.01.2019.
@misc{22880,
title = {Semantic Network Resting State Connectivity in Healthy Controls and Persons with Aphasia},
author = {Jessica N Lee},
url = {https://sites.usnh.edu/cobalt/wp-content/uploads/sites/200/2023/09/semantic_network_resting_state_connectivity_aphasia.pdf},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
urldate = {2019-01-01},
abstract = {Aphasia is an acquired language disorder resulting from a focal brain lesion in the left hemisphere. Language in aphasia is characterized by deficits in lexical retrieval, comprehension of auditory information, repetition and fluency. Verbal output may contain errors in semantic, phonologic, and speech quanta (amount and ease of verbal production). Neuroplasticity in aphasia recovery can be an adaptive process of reactivation or reorganization, but can be maladaptiveand result in persistent errors. Thus, it is important to understand the reorganization of the brain following stroke in terms of adequate and impaired performance. Here we focus on semantics in connected language performance in 22 people with aphasia (PWA) and 18 healthy control participants. Semantics, in this study, is assess in a picture description task for: semantic errors (SE) or paraphasias, significant pauses indicative of lexical retrieval deficits, aphasia severity, and the variety of different types of words used (type-toke ratio, TTR). We investigate the relationship between the brain regions responsible for semantics (a semantic brain network), and how these relationships are altered in aphasia, using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI).},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {presentation}
}
Aphasia is an acquired language disorder resulting from a focal brain lesion in the left hemisphere. Language in aphasia is characterized by deficits in lexical retrieval, comprehension of auditory information, repetition and fluency. Verbal output may contain errors in semantic, phonologic, and speech quanta (amount and ease of verbal production). Neuroplasticity in aphasia recovery can be an adaptive process of reactivation or reorganization, but can be maladaptiveand result in persistent errors. Thus, it is important to understand the reorganization of the brain following stroke in terms of adequate and impaired performance. Here we focus on semantics in connected language performance in 22 people with aphasia (PWA) and 18 healthy control participants. Semantics, in this study, is assess in a picture description task for: semantic errors (SE) or paraphasias, significant pauses indicative of lexical retrieval deficits, aphasia severity, and the variety of different types of words used (type-toke ratio, TTR). We investigate the relationship between the brain regions responsible for semantics (a semantic brain network), and how these relationships are altered in aphasia, using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI).
Ramage, Amy E.; Fox, Cynthia M.; Halpern, Angela; Ramig, Lorraine O.
Improved Verb Use in Parkinson's Disease Following Intensive Voice Treatment Presentation
01.01.2019.
@misc{22871,
title = {Improved Verb Use in Parkinson's Disease Following Intensive Voice Treatment},
author = {Amy E. Ramage and Cynthia M. Fox and Angela Halpern and Lorraine O. Ramig},
url = {https://sites.usnh.edu/cobalt/wp-content/uploads/sites/200/2023/09/001371_ramage_icpd2020.pdf},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
urldate = {2019-01-01},
abstract = {An intensive voice treatment, focused on the respiratory-laryngeal system, affected improved action word production in connected language in individuals with PD. This treatment effect was independent of cognitive status or neuropsychological test performance.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {presentation}
}
An intensive voice treatment, focused on the respiratory-laryngeal system, affected improved action word production in connected language in individuals with PD. This treatment effect was independent of cognitive status or neuropsychological test performance.
Ramage, Amy E.; Tate, David F.; New, Anneliese B.; Lewis, Jeffrey D.; Robin, Donald A.
Effort and Fatigue-Related Functional Connectivity in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Journal Article
In: Frontiers in Neurology, vol. 9, 2019.
@article{10760,
title = {Effort and Fatigue-Related Functional Connectivity in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury},
author = {Amy E. Ramage and David F. Tate and Anneliese B. New and Jeffrey D. Lewis and Donald A. Robin},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2018.01165/full
https://sites.usnh.edu/cobalt/wp-content/uploads/sites/200/2023/09/effort_and_fatigue-related_functional_connectivity_in_mild_traumatic_brain_injury-1.pdf},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
urldate = {2019-01-01},
journal = {Frontiers in Neurology},
volume = {9},
abstract = {Mental fatigue in healthy individuals is observed under conditions of high cognitive demand, particularly when effort is required to perform a task for a long time – thus fatigue and effort are closely related. In brain injured individuals, mental fatigue can be a persistent and debilitating symptom. Presence of fatigue after brain injury is prognostic for return to work/school and engagement in activities of daily life. As such, it should be a high priority for treatment in this population, but because there is little understanding of its behavioral and neural underpinnings, the target for such treatment is unknown. Here, the neural underpinnings of fatigue and effort are investigated in active duty service members with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and demographically-matched orthopedic controls. Participants performed a Constant Effort task for which they were to hold a predefined effort level constant for long durations during fMRI scanning. The task allowed investigation of the neural systems underlying fatigue and their relationship with sense of effort. While brain activation associated with effort and fatigue did not differentiate the mTBI and controls, functional connectivity amongst active brain regions did. The mTBI group demonstrated immediate hyper-connectivity that increased with effort level but diminished quickly when there was a need to maintain effort. Controls, in contrast, demonstrated a similar pattern of hyper-connectivity, but only when maintaining effort. Connectivity, particularly between the left anterior insula, rostral anterior cingulate cortex, and right-sided inferior frontal regions, correlated with effort-level and state fatigue in mTBI participants. These connections also correlated with effort level in the Control group, but only the connection between the left insula and superior medial frontal gyrus correlated with fatigue, suggesting a differing pattern of connectivity. These findings align, in part, with the dopamine imbalance and neural efficiency hypotheses that pose key roles for medial frontal connections with insular or striatal regions in motivating or optimizing performance. The data propose a complex link between sense of effort, fatigue, and mTBI that is centered in what may be an inefficient neural system due to brain trauma that warrants further investigation.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Mental fatigue in healthy individuals is observed under conditions of high cognitive demand, particularly when effort is required to perform a task for a long time – thus fatigue and effort are closely related. In brain injured individuals, mental fatigue can be a persistent and debilitating symptom. Presence of fatigue after brain injury is prognostic for return to work/school and engagement in activities of daily life. As such, it should be a high priority for treatment in this population, but because there is little understanding of its behavioral and neural underpinnings, the target for such treatment is unknown. Here, the neural underpinnings of fatigue and effort are investigated in active duty service members with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and demographically-matched orthopedic controls. Participants performed a Constant Effort task for which they were to hold a predefined effort level constant for long durations during fMRI scanning. The task allowed investigation of the neural systems underlying fatigue and their relationship with sense of effort. While brain activation associated with effort and fatigue did not differentiate the mTBI and controls, functional connectivity amongst active brain regions did. The mTBI group demonstrated immediate hyper-connectivity that increased with effort level but diminished quickly when there was a need to maintain effort. Controls, in contrast, demonstrated a similar pattern of hyper-connectivity, but only when maintaining effort. Connectivity, particularly between the left anterior insula, rostral anterior cingulate cortex, and right-sided inferior frontal regions, correlated with effort-level and state fatigue in mTBI participants. These connections also correlated with effort level in the Control group, but only the connection between the left insula and superior medial frontal gyrus correlated with fatigue, suggesting a differing pattern of connectivity. These findings align, in part, with the dopamine imbalance and neural efficiency hypotheses that pose key roles for medial frontal connections with insular or striatal regions in motivating or optimizing performance. The data propose a complex link between sense of effort, fatigue, and mTBI that is centered in what may be an inefficient neural system due to brain trauma that warrants further investigation.
2018
Kenney, Stacy A.; Ramage, Amy E.
The Relationship Between Verbal Fluency and Connected Language in Probable Alzheimer's Disease Presentation
01.01.2018.
@misc{22879,
title = {The Relationship Between Verbal Fluency and Connected Language in Probable Alzheimer's Disease},
author = {Stacy A. Kenney and Amy E. Ramage},
url = {https://sites.usnh.edu/cobalt/wp-content/uploads/sites/200/2023/09/asha_poster_11nov2018_verbal_fluency_alzheimers_disease.pdf},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
urldate = {2018-01-01},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {presentation}
}