Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 26, 2026
13:12
Translational Brain Mapping at the University of Rochester Medical Center: Preserving the Mind Through Personalized Brain Mapping
Published on: August 12, 2019
Non-Fluent Speech in Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration
Sharon Ash1, Peachie Moore, Luisa Vesely
1Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Journal of Neurolinguistics
|December 20, 2011
Summary
Impaired speech fluency in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is linked to specific brain regions. Different FTLD subtypes show distinct fluency deficits impacting grammar, semantics, or executive functions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Linguistics
Background:
- Speech fluency is a key feature of primary progressive aphasia.
- Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) encompasses various subtypes with distinct clinical presentations.
- Understanding the neural underpinnings of fluency deficits is crucial for diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cognitive and neural bases of impaired speech fluency in patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).
- To differentiate fluency characteristics across FTLD subtypes: progressive non-fluent aphasia (PNFA), semantic dementia (SemD), and social/executive disorder (SOC/EXEC).
Main Methods:
- Assessed speech fluency (words per minute) in 35 FTLD patients and controls.
- Correlated fluency with language characteristics and neuropsychological measures.
- Utilized voxel-based morphometry on high-resolution MRI to analyze gray matter volume.
Main Results:
- PNFA patients exhibited significantly reduced fluency compared to controls and other FTLD groups.
- Fluency correlated with grammatical expression in PNFA, semantic content in SemD, and executive function in SOC/EXEC.
- Gray matter volume in left inferior frontal, insula, and superior temporal regions was associated with fluency across the FTLD cohort.
Conclusions:
- Speech fluency deficits in FTLD are associated with specific patterns of atrophy in left frontal, insula, and temporal regions.
- Different FTLD subtypes manifest speech fluency impairments through distinct mechanisms.
- These findings highlight the critical role of these brain regions in maintaining speech fluency.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:22Dementia l: Introduction
Dementia is an acquired, progressive syndrome characterized by a decline in multiple cognitive domains severe enough to impair daily functioning and reduce independence. Although memory loss is a central feature, the diagnosis requires additional deficits involving language, executive function, visuospatial skills, judgment, calculation, or abstract reasoning. These cognitive impairments reflect underlying neurodegenerative or vascular processes that gradually disrupt neuronal networks...
01:10Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
01:23Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and microglia. Abnormal...
01:29Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction
Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...
01:30Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Schizophrenia is a complex mental health disorder that can manifest with various positive symptoms, including thought, movement, and behavior disorders. These symptoms significantly disrupt cognitive and motor functions, leading to profound effects on an individual's ability to engage with the world.
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes loosely...
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes loosely...
01:30Dementia
Dementia is a collective term for cognitive disorders primarily affecting memory, thinking, and reasoning. It is not a specific disease but a syndrome, with Alzheimer's disease being the most common cause, accounting for approximately 60-80% of cases. Other types include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Dementia affects millions worldwide, particularly older adults, though it is not a normal part of aging.
The progression of dementia is generally gradual.
The progression of dementia is generally gradual.