0000000001001743
AUTHOR
Vicent Rosell-clari
On natural metalinguistic abilities in aphasia: a preliminary study
Background: Natural metalinguistic abilities, which are put into play without explicit instructions, constitute the cognitive basis for a “reflexive” use of language, a particular manifestation of the executive function when applied to language and verbal behaviour. This reflexive use entails a specific attentional activity by speakers and hearers with regard to linguistic outputs, and an intentional experience-based control over the language use. Putting into play natural metalinguistic abilities can be considered a significant factor for explaining different kinds of adaptive processes. Aims: Preliminary research on natural metalinguistic abilities as manifested in people with aphasia wil…
Proximal and distal. Rethinking linguistic form and use for clinical purposes.
With clinical purposes in mind, a review of the proximal/distal opposition is carried out in order to define a universal parameter of variability in semiotic procedures. By taking into consideration different-although notionally inter-related-senses of the proximal/distal opposition, a cluster of semiotic properties is proposed, which initially permits one to characterize dimensions of variability in the form and use of gestures. The subsequent and central aim of this paper is, however, to demonstrate that the same, or homologous, properties can also serve to characterize variability in the use of language, by assuming a basic connection between gesturing and linguistic behaviour. The main …
Syntax and conversation in aphasia. A strategic restrictive use of Spanish and Catalan connector QUE by aphasic speakers.
Oral conversational data are deemed to be a relevant empirical source when it comes to formulating and supporting hypotheses about cognitive processes involved in aphasic linguistic production. With this assumption in mind, free conversational uses of the Spanish and Catalan connector QUE by fluent and non-fluent aphasic speakers are examined by contrasting them with normal speakers' (i.e. conversational partners') productions. Strictly ungrammatical uses in aphasic speakers are practically non-existent in free conversation. Nevertheless, this data permits one to characterize the aphasic production of the morpheme QUE as restrictive--to different degrees--with respect to normal production. …
Assessing natural metalinguistic skills in people with Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia
Abstract Objective The aim of this paper is to assess whether the use of natural metalinguistic skills can be used to differentiate linguistic-communicative profiles of people with dementia (Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia in the behavioural and primary progressive aphasia variants) in the earliest stages of the disease. Method A sample of 180 people was selected. Sixty had Alzheimer’s disease, 20 had frontotemporal dementia of the behavioural variant, and 40 had frontotemporal dementia of the primary progressive aphasia variant (20 had non-fluent primary progressive aphasia and 20 had semantic dementia). The control group was composed of 60 healthy people with ages, gender,…
Theory of Mind (ToM) and language: stimulating metalinguistic skills in people with dementia
ABSTRACT Purpose The purpose of this paper was to assess the use of the Metalinguistic Skills Stimulation Program in Theory of Mind (ToM) in people with dementia. Methods An experimental research design was developed. Forty-two subjects, 28 women and 14 men, aged 61 to 87 participated in the study. The three following groups were created: Experimental Group and Control Group - both composed of people with dementia, and Normal Group - consisting of people without dementia or any medical and psychological disorders that keep them from living a normal life. All subjects in the sample were evaluated using the MMSE30 Test and the MetAphAs Test. The stimulation program was used with the Experimen…
The Role of Perceived Control in the Psychophysiological Responses to Disgust of Subclinical OCD Women
Obsessive‒compulsive disorder (OCD), and especially contamination obsessions and washing compulsions, has been related to disgust. However, when its cardiovascular correlates have been studied, contradictory results have been found, including heart rate accelerations and decelerations. The aim of this study is to analyze emotional, cognitive, and cardiovascular responses in nonclinical (control) and subclinical participants with obsessive‒compulsive contamination/washing symptoms when confronted with a disgusting stimulus. Twenty-seven participants (14 subclinical OCD) completed a behavioral avoidance task with a contamination-based stimulus while their heart rate and subjective variables w…
Emotional and Cognitive Variables Associated with Contamination-Related Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms
AbstractDifferent variables have been associated with the development/ maintenance of contamination-related obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), although the relevance of these factors has not been clearly established. The present study aimed to analyze the relevance and specificity of these variables. Forty-five women with high scores on obsessive-compulsive contamination symptoms (n= 16) or checking symptoms (n= 15), or non-clinical scores (n= 14) participated in a behavioral approach/avoidance task (BAT) with a contamination-OCD stimulus. Vulnerability variables and participants’ emotional, cognitive, physiological and behavioral responses to the BAT were appraised. Results show that fea…
Acoustic, myoelectric, and aerodynamic parameters of euphonic and dysphonic voices: a systematic review of clinical studies
Background: At present, there is no clinical consensus on the concept of normal and dysphonic voices. For many years, the establishment of a consensus on the terminology related to normal and pathological voices has been studied, in order to facilitate the communication between professionals in the field of the voice. Aim: systematically review the literature to compare and learn more precisely the measurable and objective characteristics of the acoustic, aerodynamic and surface electromyographic parameters of the normal and dysphonic voices. Methods: The PRISMA 2020 methodology was used as a review protocol together with the PICO procedure to answer the research question through six databa…