Neurolinguistic Investigations of Aphasia and Recovery

描述(由申请人提供)：本项目建议继续努力，以确定治疗失语症句子缺陷的效果。在这项研究中，我们考察了语言学理论对理解失语症患者句子分解和恢复模式的相关性，并收集数据以进一步发展对正常句子产生的解释。我们计划在以前工作的基础上，强调语言结构在指导失语症治疗方面的重要作用。特别是，我们检查和操纵句子的词汇和句法属性，这些属性对于失语症患者来说是最困难的。我们的重点是(A)其中名词短语(NP)和其他成分(例如动词和助词)已移出其原始d结构位置的句子结构(例如填充间隙结构)，(B)功能类别(例如动词时态词法和补足语)，以及(C)动词和动词论元结构。 我们还继续检验这一假设，即训练更复杂的结构而不是简单的结构会在句子产生和理解方面产生更大的改善。我们根据(A)句子中涉及的移动类型，即wh-和NP-移动，(B)短语树结构和句法树中节点之间的关系，以及(C)嵌入的数量和类型来定义句子的复杂性。此外，我们还考虑了动词的词汇属性以及它们在确定复杂性时对句法操作的影响。 在此期间，我们还扩展了我们的工作，以开始了解产生观察到的复苏模式的机制。使用头戴式眼球跟踪，我们检查了正常参与者和失语症患者治疗前和治疗后的填充物间隙处理。还包括功能磁共振研究，以检查恢复的神经机制。虽然神经成像研究已经开始阐明语言的神经关联，但很少有人研究失语症患者招募的大脑部位，更没有人研究支持康复的神经机制。在前一个周期进行的功能磁共振研究显示，从治疗前到治疗后，激活模式发生了重要变化。因此，我们在继续学习中继续这一努力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The present project is proposed to continue work toward establishing the effects of treatment for sentence deficits in agrammatic (Broca's) aphasia. In this research we examine the relevance of linguistic theory to understanding sentence breakdown and recovery patterns in aphasia and gather data to further developing accounts of normal sentence production. We plan to build on previous work highlighting the important role that linguistic structure can play in guiding treatment for aphasia. In particular, we examine and manipulate lexical and syntactic properties of sentences that are the most difficult for agrammatic aphasic subjects. We focus on (a) sentence structures (e.g., filler gap structures) in which noun phrases (NPs), and other elements (e.g., verbs and auxiliaries) have been moved out of their original d-structure positions, (b) functional categories (e.g., verb tense morphology and complementizers), and (c) verb and verb argument structure. We also continue to test the hypothesis that training more complex rather than simple structures will result in greater improvement in aspects of sentence production and comprehension. We define sentence complexity in terms of the (a) type of movement involved in sentences, i.e., wh- and NP-movement, (b) phrasal tree structure and the relation between nodes in the syntactic tree, and (c) the number and type of embeddings. In addition, we consider the lexical properties of verbs and how they impact syntactic operations in determining complexity. In this period we also extend our work to begin to understand mechanisms that generate observed recovery patterns. Using head-mounted eyetracking, we examine filler gap processing in normal participants and in aphasic patients prior to and following treatment. FMRI studies also are included to examine the neural mechanisms of recovery. While neuroimaging studies have begun to elucidate the neural correlates of language, few have examined brain sites recruited by aphasic patients, and even fewer have studied the neural mechanisms supporting recovery. FMRI studies undertaken in the previous cycle showed important changes in activation patterns from pre- to post-treatment. We, therefore, continue this effort in our continuing studies.