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Carlos AF, Weigand SD, Duffy JR, Clark HM, Utianski RL, Machulda MM, Botha H, Thu Pham NT, Lowe VJ, Schwarz CG, Whitwell JL, Josephs KA. Volumetric analysis of hippocampal subregions and subfields in left and right semantic dementia. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae097. [PMID: 38572268 PMCID: PMC10988847 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Two variants of semantic dementia are recognized based on the laterality of temporal lobe involvement: a left-predominant variant associated with verbal knowledge impairment and a right-predominant variant associated with behavioural changes and non-verbal knowledge loss. This cross-sectional clinicoradiologic study aimed to assess whole hippocampal, subregion, and/or subfield volume loss in semantic dementia versus controls and across its variants. Thirty-five semantic dementia participants and 15 controls from the Neurodegenerative Research Group at Mayo Clinic who had completed 3.0-T volumetric magnetic resonance imaging and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography were included. Classification as left-predominant (n = 25) or right-predominant (n = 10) variant was based on temporal lobe hypometabolism. Volumes of hippocampal subregions (head, body, and tail) and subfields (parasubiculum, presubiculum, subiculum, cornu ammonis 1, cornu ammonis 3, cornu ammonis 4, dentate gyrus, molecular layer, hippocampal-amygdaloid transition area, and fimbria) were obtained using FreeSurfer 7. Subfield volumes were measured separately from head and body subregions. We fit linear mixed-effects models using log-transformed whole hippocampal/subregion/subfield volumes as dependent variables; age, sex, total intracranial volume, hemisphere and a group-by-hemisphere interaction as fixed effects; and subregion/subfield nested within hemisphere as a random effect. Significant results (P < 0.05) are hereby reported. At the whole hippocampal level, the dominant (predominantly involved) hemisphere of both variants showed 23-27% smaller volumes than controls. The non-dominant (less involved) hemisphere of the right-predominant variant also showed volume loss versus controls and the left-predominant variant. At the subregional level, both variants showed 17-28% smaller dominant hemisphere head, body, and tail than controls, with the right-predominant variant also showing 8-12% smaller non-dominant hemisphere head than controls and left-predominant variant. At the subfield level, the left-predominant variant showed 12-36% smaller volumes across all dominant hemisphere subfields and 14-15% smaller non-dominant hemisphere parasubiculum, presubiculum (head and body), subiculum (head) and hippocampal-amygdaloid transition area than controls. The right-predominant variant showed 16-49% smaller volumes across all dominant hemisphere subfields and 14-22% smaller parasubiculum, presubiculum, subiculum, cornu ammonis 3, hippocampal-amygdaloid transition area (all from the head) and fimbria of non-dominant hemisphere versus controls. Comparison of dominant hemispheres showed 16-29% smaller volumes of the parasubiculum, presubiculum (head) and fimbria in the right-predominant than left-predominant variant; comparison of non-dominant hemispheres showed 12-15% smaller cornu ammonis 3, cornu ammonis 4, dentate gyrus, hippocampal-amygdaloid transition area (all from the head) and cornu ammonis 1, cornu ammonis 3 and cornu ammonis 4 (all from the body) in the right-predominant variant. All hippocampal subregion/subfield volumes are affected in semantic dementia, although some are more affected in both dominant and non-dominant hemispheres of the right-predominant than the left-predominant variant by the time of presentation. Involvement of hippocampal structures is apparently more subregion dependent than subfield dependent, indicating possible superiority of subregion volumes as disease biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arenn F Carlos
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905 USA
| | - Stephen D Weigand
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905 USA
| | - Joseph R Duffy
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905 USA
| | - Heather M Clark
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905 USA
| | - Rene L Utianski
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905 USA
| | - Mary M Machulda
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905 USA
| | - Hugo Botha
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905 USA
| | | | - Val J Lowe
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905 USA
| | | | | | - Keith A Josephs
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905 USA
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Kawakami N, Morita A, Kanno S, Ogawa N, Kakinuma K, Saito Y, Kobayashi E, Narita W, Suzuki K. Case Report: Semantic Variant Primary Progressive Aphasia With Impaired Verbal Word Discrimination. Front Neurol 2022; 13:873735. [PMID: 35785359 PMCID: PMC9243420 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.873735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Some patients with primary progressive aphasia (PPA) present with various types of hearing deficits. Research on the auditory function and speech sounds in PPA, including temporal, phonemic, and prosodic processing, revealed impairment in some of these auditory processes. Many patients with PPA who present with impaired word recognition subsequently developed non-fluent variant PPA. Herein, we present a patient with semantic variant PPA (svPPA) who demonstrated impaired verbal word discrimination. Audiological examinations revealed normal auditory brainstem responses and slightly impaired pure-tone perception. By contrast, verbal word discrimination and monosyllable identification were impaired, and temporal auditory acuity deteriorated. Analyses of brain magnetic resonance images revealed a significant decrease in the gray matter volume in bilateral superior temporal areas, predominantly on the left, compared with those of patients with typical svPPA, which appeared to be associated with impaired word recognition in our patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuko Kawakami
- Department of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ayumi Morita
- Department of Rehabilitation, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
| | - Shigenori Kanno
- Department of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Nanayo Ogawa
- Department of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Kazuo Kakinuma
- Department of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yumiko Saito
- Department of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Erena Kobayashi
- Department of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
- Department of Neurology and Stroke Medicine, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Wataru Narita
- Department of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Kyoko Suzuki
- Department of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
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Dixon E, Anderson J, Lazar A. Understanding How Sensory Changes Experienced by Individuals with a Range of Age-Related Cognitive Changes can Effect Technology Use. ACM TRANSACTIONS ON ACCESSIBLE COMPUTING 2022; 15. [DOI: 10.1145/3511906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Clinical researchers have identified sensory changes people with age-related cognitive changes, such as dementia and mild cognitive impairment, experience which are different from typical age-related sensory changes. Technology designers and researchers do not yet have an understanding of how these unique sensory changes affect technology use. This work begins to bridge the gap between the clinical knowledge of sensory changes and technology research and design through interviews with people with mild to moderate dementia, mild cognitive impairment, subjective cognitive decline, and healthcare professionals. This extended version of our ASSETS conference paper includes people with a range of age-related cognitive changes describing changes in vision, hearing, speech, dexterity, proprioception, and smell. We discuss each of these sensory changes and ways to leverage optimal modes of sensory interaction for accessible technology use with existing and emerging technologies. Finally, we discuss how accessible sensory stimulation may change across the spectrum of age-related cognitive changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Dixon
- University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Amanda Lazar
- University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
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Benhamou E, Zhao S, Sivasathiaseelan H, Johnson JCS, Requena-Komuro MC, Bond RL, van Leeuwen JEP, Russell LL, Greaves CV, Nelson A, Nicholas JM, Hardy CJD, Rohrer JD, Warren JD. Decoding expectation and surprise in dementia: the paradigm of music. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcab173. [PMID: 34423301 PMCID: PMC8376684 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Making predictions about the world and responding appropriately to unexpected events are essential functions of the healthy brain. In neurodegenerative disorders, such as frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease, impaired processing of 'surprise' may underpin a diverse array of symptoms, particularly abnormalities of social and emotional behaviour, but is challenging to characterize. Here, we addressed this issue using a novel paradigm: music. We studied 62 patients (24 female; aged 53-88) representing major syndromes of frontotemporal dementia (behavioural variant, semantic variant primary progressive aphasia, non-fluent-agrammatic variant primary progressive aphasia) and typical amnestic Alzheimer's disease, in relation to 33 healthy controls (18 female; aged 54-78). Participants heard famous melodies containing no deviants or one of three types of deviant note-acoustic (white-noise burst), syntactic (key-violating pitch change) or semantic (key-preserving pitch change). Using a regression model that took elementary perceptual, executive and musical competence into account, we assessed accuracy detecting melodic deviants and simultaneously recorded pupillary responses and related these to deviant surprise value (information-content) and carrier melody predictability (entropy), calculated using an unsupervised machine learning model of music. Neuroanatomical associations of deviant detection accuracy and coupling of detection to deviant surprise value were assessed using voxel-based morphometry of patients' brain MRI. Whereas Alzheimer's disease was associated with normal deviant detection accuracy, behavioural and semantic variant frontotemporal dementia syndromes were associated with strikingly similar profiles of impaired syntactic and semantic deviant detection accuracy and impaired behavioural and autonomic sensitivity to deviant information-content (all P < 0.05). On the other hand, non-fluent-agrammatic primary progressive aphasia was associated with generalized impairment of deviant discriminability (P < 0.05) due to excessive false-alarms, despite retained behavioural and autonomic sensitivity to deviant information-content and melody predictability. Across the patient cohort, grey matter correlates of acoustic deviant detection accuracy were identified in precuneus, mid and mesial temporal regions; correlates of syntactic deviant detection accuracy and information-content processing, in inferior frontal and anterior temporal cortices, putamen and nucleus accumbens; and a common correlate of musical salience coding in supplementary motor area (all P < 0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons in pre-specified regions of interest). Our findings suggest that major dementias have distinct profiles of sensory 'surprise' processing, as instantiated in music. Music may be a useful and informative paradigm for probing the predictive decoding of complex sensory environments in neurodegenerative proteinopathies, with implications for understanding and measuring the core pathophysiology of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elia Benhamou
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Sijia Zhao
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Harri Sivasathiaseelan
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Jeremy C S Johnson
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Maï-Carmen Requena-Komuro
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Rebecca L Bond
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Janneke E P van Leeuwen
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Lucy L Russell
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Caroline V Greaves
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Annabel Nelson
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Jennifer M Nicholas
- Department of Medical Statistics, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Chris J D Hardy
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Jonathan D Rohrer
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Jason D Warren
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
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Stalpaert J, Miatton M, Sieben A, Van Langenhove T, van Mierlo P, De Letter M. The Electrophysiological Correlates of Phoneme Perception in Primary Progressive Aphasia: A Preliminary Case Series. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:618549. [PMID: 34149376 PMCID: PMC8206281 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.618549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims: This study aimed to investigate phoneme perception in patients with primary progressive aphasia (PPA) by using the event-related potential (ERP) technique. These ERP components might contribute to the diagnostic process of PPA and its clinical variants (NFV: nonfluent variant, SV: semantic variant, LV: logopenic variant) and reveal insights about phoneme perception processes in these patients. Method: Phoneme discrimination and categorization processes were investigated by the mismatch negativity (MMN) and P300 in eight persons with early- and late-stage PPA (3 NFV, 2 LV, 2 SV, and 1 PPA-NOS; not otherwise specified) and 30 age-matched healthy adults. The mean amplitude, the onset latency, and the topographic distribution of both components in each patient were compared to the results of the control group. Results: The MMN was absent or the onset latency of the MMN was delayed in the patients with the NFV, LV, and PPA-NOS in comparison to the control group. In contrast, no differences in mean amplitudes and onset latencies of the MMN were found between the patients with the SV and the control group. Concerning the P300, variable results were found in the patients with the NFV, SV, and PPA-NOS, but the P300 of both patients with the LV was delayed and prolonged with increased mean amplitude in comparison to the control group. Conclusion: In this preliminary study, phoneme discrimination deficits were found in the patients with the NFV and LV, and variable deficits in phoneme categorization processes were found in all patients with PPA. In clinical practice, the MMN might be valuable to differentiate the SV from the NFV and the LV and the P300 to differentiate the LV from the NFV and the SV. Further research in larger and independent patient groups is required to investigate the applicability of these components in the diagnostic process and to determine the nature of these speech perception deficits in the clinical variants of PPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jara Stalpaert
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marijke Miatton
- Department of Neurology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Anne Sieben
- Department of Neurology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Pieter van Mierlo
- Department of Electronics and Information Systems, Medical Image and Signal Processing Group, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Miet De Letter
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Johnson JCS, Marshall CR, Weil RS, Bamiou DE, Hardy CJD, Warren JD. Hearing and dementia: from ears to brain. Brain 2021; 144:391-401. [PMID: 33351095 PMCID: PMC7940169 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The association between hearing impairment and dementia has emerged as a major public health challenge, with significant opportunities for earlier diagnosis, treatment and prevention. However, the nature of this association has not been defined. We hear with our brains, particularly within the complex soundscapes of everyday life: neurodegenerative pathologies target the auditory brain, and are therefore predicted to damage hearing function early and profoundly. Here we present evidence for this proposition, based on structural and functional features of auditory brain organization that confer vulnerability to neurodegeneration, the extensive, reciprocal interplay between 'peripheral' and 'central' hearing dysfunction, and recently characterized auditory signatures of canonical neurodegenerative dementias (Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body disease and frontotemporal dementia). Moving beyond any simple dichotomy of ear and brain, we argue for a reappraisal of the role of auditory cognitive dysfunction and the critical coupling of brain to peripheral organs of hearing in the dementias. We call for a clinical assessment of real-world hearing in these diseases that moves beyond pure tone perception to the development of novel auditory 'cognitive stress tests' and proximity markers for the early diagnosis of dementia and management strategies that harness retained auditory plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy C S Johnson
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Charles R Marshall
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Preventive Neurology Unit, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Rimona S Weil
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Movement Disorders Centre, Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Doris-Eva Bamiou
- UCL Ear Institute and UCL/UCLH Biomedical Research Centre, National Institute for Health Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Chris J D Hardy
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jason D Warren
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
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Höbler F, McGilton KS, Wittich W, Dupuis K, Reed M, Dumassais S, Mick P, Pichora-Fuller MK. Hearing Screening for Residents in Long-Term Care Homes Who Live with Dementia: A Scoping Review. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 84:1115-1138. [PMID: 34633326 PMCID: PMC8673512 DOI: 10.3233/jad-215087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hearing loss is highly prevalent in older adults, particularly among those living with dementia and residing in long-term care homes (LTCHs). Sensory declines can have deleterious effects on functioning and contribute to frailty, but the hearing needs of residents are often unrecognized or unaddressed. OBJECTIVE To identify valid and reliable screening measures that are effective for the identification of hearing loss and are suitable for use by nursing staff providing care to residents with dementia in LTCHs. METHODS Electronic databases (Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, and CINAHL) were searched using comprehensive search strategies, and a stepwise approach based on Arksey & O'Malley's scoping review and appraisal process was followed. RESULTS There were 193 scientific papers included in the review. Pure-tone audiometry was the most frequently reported measure to test hearing in older adults living with dementia. However, measures including self- or other-reports and questionnaires, review of medical records, otoscopy, and the whisper test were found to be most suitable for use by nurses working with older adults living with dementia in LTCHs. CONCLUSION Although frequently used, the suitability of pure-tone audiometry for use by nursing staff in LTCHs is limited, as standardized audiometry presents challenges for many residents, and specific training is needed to successfully adapt test administration procedures and interpret results. The whisper test was considered to be more suitable for use by staff in LTCH; however, it yields a limited characterization of hearing loss. There remains an urgent need to develop new approaches to screen hearing in LTCHs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Höbler
- KITE – Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Katherine S. McGilton
- KITE – Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Walter Wittich
- École d’optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille du CISSS de la Montérégie-Centre, Longueuil, QC, Canada
- Centre de réadaptation Lethbridge-Layton-Mackay du CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Kate Dupuis
- Sheridan Centre for Elder Research, Sheridan College, Oakville, ON, Canada
| | - Marilyn Reed
- Audiology, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shirley Dumassais
- École d’optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille du CISSS de la Montérégie-Centre, Longueuil, QC, Canada
| | - Paul Mick
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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Chen Y, Huang L, Chen K, Ding J, Zhang Y, Yang Q, Lv Y, Han Z, Guo Q. White matter basis for the hub-and-spoke semantic representation: evidence from semantic dementia. Brain 2020; 143:1206-1219. [PMID: 32155237 PMCID: PMC7191302 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 01/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The hub-and-spoke semantic representation theory posits that semantic knowledge is processed in a neural network, which contains an amodal hub, the sensorimotor modality-specific regions, and the connections between them. The exact neural basis of the hub, regions and connectivity remains unclear. Semantic dementia could be an ideal lesion model to construct the semantic network as this disease presents both amodal and modality-specific semantic processing (e.g. colour) deficits. The goal of the present study was to identify, using an unbiased data-driven approach, the semantic hub and its general and modality-specific semantic white matter connections by investigating the relationship between the lesion degree of the network and the severity of semantic deficits in 33 patients with semantic dementia. Data of diffusion-weighted imaging and behavioural performance in processing knowledge of general semantic and six sensorimotor modalities (i.e. object form, colour, motion, sound, manipulation and function) were collected from each subject. Specifically, to identify the semantic hub, we mapped the white matter nodal degree value (a graph theoretical index) of the 90 regions in the automated anatomical labelling atlas with the general semantic abilities of the patients. Of the regions, only the left fusiform gyrus was identified as the hub because its structural connectivity strength (i.e. nodal degree value) could significantly predict the general semantic processing of the patients. To identify the general and modality-specific semantic connections of the semantic hub, we separately correlated the white matter integrity values of each tract connected with the left fusiform gyrus, with the performance for general semantic processing and each of six semantic modality processing. The results showed that the hub region worked in concert with nine other regions in the semantic memory network for general semantic processing. Moreover, the connection between the hub and the left calcarine was associated with colour-specific semantic processing. The observed effects could not be accounted for by potential confounding variables (e.g. total grey matter volume, regional grey matter volume and performance on non-semantic control tasks). Our findings refine the neuroanatomical structure of the semantic network and underline the critical role of the left fusiform gyrus and its connectivity in the network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.,College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Lin Huang
- Department of Gerontology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Keliang Chen
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Junhua Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yumei Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Qing Yang
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Yingru Lv
- Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Zaizhu Han
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Qihao Guo
- Department of Gerontology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China
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Bray J, Brooker DJ, Garabedian C. What is the evidence for the activities of Namaste Care? A rapid assessment review. DEMENTIA 2019; 20:247-272. [DOI: 10.1177/1471301219878299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Objectives To assess the quality of research evidence for the different activity components for the psycho-social Namaste Care intervention for care home residents with advanced dementia. Design Namaste Care is a multi-component intervention delivered on a daily basis to people living with advanced dementia or people at end of life with dementia. A significant part of its operationalisation within care homes is the delivery of a number of activities delivered by trained in-house Namaste Care workers to a group of residents with similar high dependency needs. The Namaste Care workers focus on touch, music, nature, sensory experience, aromas and interactions with objects delivered in a way to enhance feelings of enjoyment and wellbeing. This review evaluated the evidence for using these activities with people living with advanced dementia. A systematic search of peer-reviewed research articles was conducted between November 2016 and September 2018 using search terms of activities used in Namaste Care. The quality of each accepted article was rated using the Rapid Evidence Assessment scale. Results The initial literature search returned 1341 results: 127 articles including 42 reviews were included. The majority of activity interventions yielded between 10 and 20 peer-reviewed papers. The use of smells and aromas, interacting with animals and dolls, the use of various forms of music (e.g. background music, singing, personalised music), nature, lighting, various forms of touch/massage and sensory interventions (including Snoezelen) all appear to have proven efficacy with people living with advanced dementia. Conclusions There is generally a limited number of research papers and reviews in this area, but overall there is a good evidence base for including these activities within Namaste Care for people living with advanced dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Bray
- Association for Dementia Studies, University of Worcester, UK
| | - Dawn J Brooker
- Association for Dementia Studies, University of Worcester, UK
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Hardy CJD, Johnson JCS, Warren JD. Auditory symptoms in primary progressive aphasia: A commentary on Utianski et al. (2019). Cortex 2019; 119:580-582. [PMID: 31030898 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chris J D Hardy
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UK.
| | - Jeremy C S Johnson
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UK
| | - Jason D Warren
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UK
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Slattery CF, Agustus JL, Paterson RW, McCallion O, Foulkes AJM, Macpherson K, Carton AM, Harding E, Golden HL, Jaisin K, Mummery CJ, Schott JM, Warren JD. The functional neuroanatomy of musical memory in Alzheimer's disease. Cortex 2019; 115:357-370. [PMID: 30846199 PMCID: PMC6525150 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Background Memory for music has attracted much recent interest in Alzheimer's disease but the underlying brain mechanisms have not been defined in patients directly. Here we addressed this issue in an Alzheimer's disease cohort using activation fMRI of two core musical memory systems. Methods We studied 34 patients with younger onset Alzheimer's disease led either by episodic memory decline (typical Alzheimer's disease) or by visuospatial impairment (posterior cortical atrophy) in relation to 19 age-matched healthy individuals. We designed a novel fMRI paradigm based on passive listening to melodies that were either previously familiar or unfamiliar (musical semantic memory) and either presented singly or repeated (incidental musical episodic memory). Results Both syndromic groups showed significant functional neuroanatomical alterations relative to the healthy control group. For musical semantic memory, disease-associated activation group differences were localised to right inferior frontal cortex (reduced activation in the group with memory-led Alzheimer's disease); while for incidental musical episodic memory, disease-associated activation group differences were localised to precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex (abnormally enhanced activation in the syndromic groups). In post-scan behavioural testing, both patient groups had a deficit of musical episodic memory relative to healthy controls whereas musical semantic memory was unimpaired. Conclusions Our findings define functional neuroanatomical substrates for the differential involvement of musical semantic and incidental episodic memory in major phenotypes of Alzheimer's disease. The complex dynamic profile of brain activation group differences observed suggests that musical memory may be an informative probe of neural network function in Alzheimer's disease. These findings may guide the development of future musical interventions in dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine F Slattery
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Jennifer L Agustus
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Ross W Paterson
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Oliver McCallion
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Alexander J M Foulkes
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Kirsty Macpherson
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Amelia M Carton
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Emma Harding
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Hannah L Golden
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Kankamol Jaisin
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Catherine J Mummery
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Jonathan M Schott
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Jason D Warren
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
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12
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Hurley RS, Mesulam MM, Sridhar J, Rogalski EJ, Thompson CK. A nonverbal route to conceptual knowledge involving the right anterior temporal lobe. Neuropsychologia 2018; 117:92-101. [PMID: 29802865 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (PPA-S) is diagnosed based on impaired single-word comprehension, but nonverbal impairments in face and object recognition can also be present, particularly in later disease stages. PPA-S is associated with focal atrophy in the left anterior temporal lobe (ATL), often accompanied by a lesser degree of atrophy in the right ATL. According to a dual-route account, the left ATL is critical for verbal access to conceptual knowledge while nonverbal access to conceptual knowledge depends upon the integrity of right ATL. Consistent with this view, single-word comprehension deficits in PPA-S have consistently been linked to the degree of atrophy in left ATL. In the current study we examined object processing and cortical thickness in 19 patients diagnosed with PPA-S, to evaluate the hypothesis that nonverbal object impairments would instead be determined by the amount of atrophy in the right ATL. All patients demonstrated inability to access conceptual knowledge on standardized tests with word stimuli: they were unable to match spoken words with their corresponding pictures on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. Only a minority of patients, however, performed abnormally on an experimental thematic verification task, which requires judgments as to whether pairs of object pictures are thematically-associated, and does not rely on auditory or visual word input. The entire PPA-S group showed cortical thinning in left ATL, but atrophy in right ATL was more prominent in the subgroup with low verification scores. Thematic verification scores were correlated with cortical thickness in the right rather than left ATL, an asymmetric mapping which persisted when controlling for the degree of atrophy in the contralateral hemisphere. These results are consistent with a dual-route account of conceptual knowledge: breakdown of the verbal left hemispheric route produces an aphasic syndrome, which is only accompanied by visual object processing impairments when the nonverbal right hemispheric route is also compromised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S Hurley
- Cognitive Neurology & Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Psychology, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA.
| | - M-Marsel Mesulam
- Cognitive Neurology & Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Jaiashre Sridhar
- Cognitive Neurology & Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Emily J Rogalski
- Cognitive Neurology & Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Cynthia K Thompson
- Cognitive Neurology & Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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13
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Muhammed L, Hardy CJD, Russell LL, Marshall CR, Clark CN, Bond RL, Warrington EK, Warren JD. Agnosia for bird calls. Neuropsychologia 2018; 113:61-67. [PMID: 29572063 PMCID: PMC5946901 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The cognitive organisation of nonverbal auditory knowledge remains poorly defined. Deficits of environmental sound as well as word and visual object knowledge are well-recognised in semantic dementia. However, it is unclear how auditory cognition breaks down in this disorder and how this relates to deficits in other knowledge modalities. We had the opportunity to study a patient with a typical syndrome of semantic dementia who had extensive premorbid knowledge of birds, allowing us to assess the impact of the disease on the processing of auditory in relation to visual and verbal attributes of this specific knowledge category. We designed a novel neuropsychological test to probe knowledge of particular avian characteristics (size, behaviour [migratory or nonmigratory], habitat [whether or not primarily water-dwelling]) in the nonverbal auditory, visual and verbal modalities, based on a uniform two-alternative-forced-choice procedure. The patient's performance was compared to healthy older individuals of similar birding experience. We further compared his performance on this test of bird knowledge with his knowledge of familiar human voices and faces. Relative to healthy birder controls, the patient showed marked deficits of bird call and bird name knowledge but relatively preserved knowledge of avian visual attributes and retained knowledge of human voices and faces. In both the auditory and visual modalities, his knowledge of the avian characteristics of size and behaviour was intact whereas his knowledge of the associated characteristic of habitat was deficient. This case provides further evidence that nonverbal auditory knowledge has a fractionated organisation that can be differentially targeted in semantic dementia. The cognitive organisation of auditory semantics is poorly understood. We assessed multimodal avian knowledge in a birder with semantic dementia. The patient had auditory (but not visual) agnosia for birds versus healthy birders. Auditory knowledge of avian attributes and human voices were differentially affected. This case illuminates the fractionated organisation of nonverbal auditory knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louwai Muhammed
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Chris J D Hardy
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lucy L Russell
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Charles R Marshall
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Camilla N Clark
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca L Bond
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth K Warrington
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jason D Warren
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
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14
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Hardy CJD, Agustus JL, Marshall CR, Clark CN, Russell LL, Bond RL, Brotherhood EV, Thomas DL, Crutch SJ, Rohrer JD, Warren JD. Behavioural and neuroanatomical correlates of auditory speech analysis in primary progressive aphasias. ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY 2017; 9:53. [PMID: 28750682 PMCID: PMC5531024 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-017-0278-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Background Non-verbal auditory impairment is increasingly recognised in the primary progressive aphasias (PPAs) but its relationship to speech processing and brain substrates has not been defined. Here we addressed these issues in patients representing the non-fluent variant (nfvPPA) and semantic variant (svPPA) syndromes of PPA. Methods We studied 19 patients with PPA in relation to 19 healthy older individuals. We manipulated three key auditory parameters—temporal regularity, phonemic spectral structure and prosodic predictability (an index of fundamental information content, or entropy)—in sequences of spoken syllables. The ability of participants to process these parameters was assessed using two-alternative, forced-choice tasks and neuroanatomical associations of task performance were assessed using voxel-based morphometry of patients’ brain magnetic resonance images. Results Relative to healthy controls, both the nfvPPA and svPPA groups had impaired processing of phonemic spectral structure and signal predictability while the nfvPPA group additionally had impaired processing of temporal regularity in speech signals. Task performance correlated with standard disease severity and neurolinguistic measures. Across the patient cohort, performance on the temporal regularity task was associated with grey matter in the left supplementary motor area and right caudate, performance on the phoneme processing task was associated with grey matter in the left supramarginal gyrus, and performance on the prosodic predictability task was associated with grey matter in the right putamen. Conclusions Our findings suggest that PPA syndromes may be underpinned by more generic deficits of auditory signal analysis, with a distributed cortico-subcortical neuraoanatomical substrate extending beyond the canonical language network. This has implications for syndrome classification and biomarker development. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13195-017-0278-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris J D Hardy
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jennifer L Agustus
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Charles R Marshall
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Camilla N Clark
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lucy L Russell
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rebecca L Bond
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Emilie V Brotherhood
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - David L Thomas
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,Neuroradiological Academic Unit, Department of Brain Repair and Rehabilitation, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sebastian J Crutch
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jonathan D Rohrer
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jason D Warren
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
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15
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Functional neuroanatomy of speech signal decoding in primary progressive aphasias. Neurobiol Aging 2017; 56:190-201. [PMID: 28571652 PMCID: PMC5476347 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2017.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The pathophysiology of primary progressive aphasias remains poorly understood. Here, we addressed this issue using activation fMRI in a cohort of 27 patients with primary progressive aphasia (nonfluent, semantic, and logopenic variants) versus 15 healthy controls. Participants listened passively to sequences of spoken syllables in which we manipulated 3-key auditory speech signal characteristics: temporal regularity, phonemic spectral structure, and pitch sequence entropy. Relative to healthy controls, nonfluent variant patients showed reduced activation of medial Heschl's gyrus in response to any auditory stimulation and reduced activation of anterior cingulate to temporal irregularity. Semantic variant patients had relatively reduced activation of caudate and anterior cingulate in response to increased entropy. Logopenic variant patients showed reduced activation of posterior superior temporal cortex to phonemic spectral structure. Taken together, our findings suggest that impaired processing of core speech signal attributes may drive particular progressive aphasia syndromes and could index a generic physiological mechanism of reduced computational efficiency relevant to all these syndromes, with implications for development of new biomarkers and therapeutic interventions.
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16
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Hardy CJD, Marshall CR, Golden HL, Clark CN, Mummery CJ, Griffiths TD, Bamiou DE, Warren JD. Hearing and dementia. J Neurol 2016; 263:2339-2354. [PMID: 27372450 PMCID: PMC5065893 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-016-8208-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Revised: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Hearing deficits associated with cognitive impairment have attracted much recent interest, motivated by emerging evidence that impaired hearing is a risk factor for cognitive decline. However, dementia and hearing impairment present immense challenges in their own right, and their intersection in the auditory brain remains poorly understood and difficult to assess. Here, we outline a clinically oriented, symptom-based approach to the assessment of hearing in dementias, informed by recent progress in the clinical auditory neuroscience of these diseases. We consider the significance and interpretation of hearing loss and symptoms that point to a disorder of auditory cognition in patients with dementia. We identify key auditory characteristics of some important dementias and conclude with a bedside approach to assessing and managing auditory dysfunction in dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris J D Hardy
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Charles R Marshall
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Hannah L Golden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Camilla N Clark
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Catherine J Mummery
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
- Cognitive Disorders Clinic for the Deaf, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK
| | - Timothy D Griffiths
- Auditory Group, Institute of Neuroscience, The Medical School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Central Auditory Disorders Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK
| | - Doris-Eva Bamiou
- Department of Neuro-otology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK
- UCL Ear Institute, University College London, London, UK
- Central Auditory Disorders Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK
| | - Jason D Warren
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- Central Auditory Disorders Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK.
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17
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A physiological signature of sound meaning in dementia. Cortex 2016; 77:13-23. [PMID: 26889604 PMCID: PMC4819950 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2016.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2015] [Revised: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The meaning of sensory objects is often behaviourally and biologically salient and decoding of semantic salience is potentially vulnerable in dementia. However, it remains unclear how sensory semantic processing is linked to physiological mechanisms for coding object salience and how that linkage is affected by neurodegenerative diseases. Here we addressed this issue using the paradigm of complex sounds. We used pupillometry to compare physiological responses to real versus synthetic nonverbal sounds in patients with canonical dementia syndromes (behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia – bvFTD, semantic dementia – SD; progressive nonfluent aphasia – PNFA; typical Alzheimer's disease – AD) relative to healthy older individuals. Nonverbal auditory semantic competence was assessed using a novel within-modality sound classification task and neuroanatomical associations of pupillary responses were assessed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) of patients' brain MR images. After taking affective stimulus factors into account, patients with SD and AD showed significantly increased pupil responses to real versus synthetic sounds relative to healthy controls. The bvFTD, SD and AD groups had a nonverbal auditory semantic deficit relative to healthy controls and nonverbal auditory semantic performance was inversely correlated with the magnitude of the enhanced pupil response to real versus synthetic sounds across the patient cohort. A region of interest analysis demonstrated neuroanatomical associations of overall pupil reactivity and differential pupil reactivity to sound semantic content in superior colliculus and left anterior temporal cortex respectively. Our findings suggest that autonomic coding of auditory semantic ambiguity in the setting of a damaged semantic system may constitute a novel physiological signature of neurodegenerative diseases.
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18
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Abstract
This scientific commentary refers to ‘Why musical memory can be preserved in advanced Alzheimer’s disease’, by Jacobsen et al. (doi:10.1093/brain/awv135).
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla N Clark
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jason D Warren
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
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