A study of longitudinal assessment and intervention of articulatory and syntactic dysfunction associated with neurodegenerative diseases

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K10720
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: International University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Kanno Michiko 国際医療福祉大学, 成田保健医療学部, 教授 (60316627)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 発話分析 / 失語症 / 原発性進行性失語

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In neurodegenerative diseases presenting with dementia, there is primary progressive aphasia (PPA), which is preceded only by language symptoms.
We focused on progressive nonfluent aphasia(PNFA), which is characterized by nonfluent speech, and analyzed the differences from aphasia caused by cerebrovascular disease in terms of syntactic features of speech.
The results showed that progressive nonfluent aphasia is characterized by a simplification of sentence structure, a narrowing of the verbs used, and a decrease in the number of case particles. The number of main propositions was found to be similar to that of normal subjects. Further analysis of changes over time based on the results of the present study will lead to the development of systematic support protocols in response to changes in speech symptoms.

Free Research Field

失語・高次脳機能障害学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、認知症の中でも特異な経過をたどる原発性進行性失語を取り上げ、その発話特徴を比較分析した。原発性進行性失語は緩徐に進行し、身体的問題は初期には生じないため、言語障害について周囲の理解を得られにくく、初期の段階であっても当事者は社会的な孤立や孤独感を抱えることが多い。今回の研究は、日本語話者におけるPPAの発話特徴を明らかにすることによって、言語症状へのより的確な支援方法を開発する基礎的資料として利用できる。