Elisa Canu1, Federica Agosta2, Giovanni Battistella2, Edoardo G Spinelli2, Jessica DeLeon2, Ariane E Welch2, Maria Luisa Mandelli2, H Isabel Hubbard2, Andrea Moro2, Giuseppe Magnani2, Stefano F Cappa2, Bruce L Miller2, Massimo Filippi2, Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini2. 1. From the Neuroimaging Research Unit (E.C., F.A., E.G.S., M.F.), Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Neurology Unit (G.M., M.F.), and Neurophysiology Unit (M.F.), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (F.A., E.G.S., M.F.), Milan, Italy; Memory and Aging Center (G.B., J.D., A.E.W., M.L.M., H.I.H., B.L.M., M.L.G.-T.), UCSF, San Francisco, CA; University School for Advanced Studies IUSS Pavia (A.M., S.F.C.); and IRCCS S. Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli (S.F.C.), Brescia, Italy. canu.elisa@hsr.it. 2. From the Neuroimaging Research Unit (E.C., F.A., E.G.S., M.F.), Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Neurology Unit (G.M., M.F.), and Neurophysiology Unit (M.F.), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (F.A., E.G.S., M.F.), Milan, Italy; Memory and Aging Center (G.B., J.D., A.E.W., M.L.M., H.I.H., B.L.M., M.L.G.-T.), UCSF, San Francisco, CA; University School for Advanced Studies IUSS Pavia (A.M., S.F.C.); and IRCCS S. Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli (S.F.C.), Brescia, Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To understand whether the clinical phenotype of nonfluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA) could present differences depending on the patient's native language. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed connected speech samples in monolingual English (nfvPPA-E) and Italian speakers (nfvPPA-I) who were diagnosed with nfvPPA and matched for age, sex, and Mini-Mental State Examination scores. Patients also received a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. All patients and 2 groups of age-matched healthy controls underwent an MRI scan with 3D T1-weighted sequences. Connected speech measures and the other cognitive features were compared between patient groups. MRI variables, in terms of gray matter volume, were compared between each patient group and the corresponding controls. RESULTS: Compared to nfvPPA-E, nfvPPA-I had fewer years of education and shorter reported disease duration. The 2 groups showed similar regional atrophy compatible with clinical diagnosis. Patients did not differ in nonlanguage domains, comprising executive scores. Connected speech sample analysis showed that nfvPPA-E had significantly more distortions than nfvPPA-I, while nfvPPA-I showed reduced scores in some measures of syntactic complexity. On language measures, Italian speakers performed more poorly on syntactic comprehension. CONCLUSIONS: nfvPPA-E showed greater motor speech impairment than nfvPPA-I despite higher level of education and comparable disease severity and atrophy changes. The data also suggest greater grammatical impairment in nfvPPA-I. This study illustrates the need to take into account the possible effect of the individual's spoken language on the phenotype and clinical presentation of primary progressive aphasia variants.
OBJECTIVE: To understand whether the clinical phenotype of nonfluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA) could present differences depending on the patient's native language. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed connected speech samples in monolingual English (nfvPPA-E) and Italian speakers (nfvPPA-I) who were diagnosed with nfvPPA and matched for age, sex, and Mini-Mental State Examination scores. Patients also received a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. All patients and 2 groups of age-matched healthy controls underwent an MRI scan with 3D T1-weighted sequences. Connected speech measures and the other cognitive features were compared between patient groups. MRI variables, in terms of gray matter volume, were compared between each patient group and the corresponding controls. RESULTS: Compared to nfvPPA-E, nfvPPA-I had fewer years of education and shorter reported disease duration. The 2 groups showed similar regional atrophy compatible with clinical diagnosis. Patients did not differ in nonlanguage domains, comprising executive scores. Connected speech sample analysis showed that nfvPPA-E had significantly more distortions than nfvPPA-I, while nfvPPA-I showed reduced scores in some measures of syntactic complexity. On language measures, Italian speakers performed more poorly on syntactic comprehension. CONCLUSIONS: nfvPPA-E showed greater motor speech impairment than nfvPPA-I despite higher level of education and comparable disease severity and atrophy changes. The data also suggest greater grammatical impairment in nfvPPA-I. This study illustrates the need to take into account the possible effect of the individual's spoken language on the phenotype and clinical presentation of primary progressive aphasia variants.
Authors: Edoardo G Spinelli; Maria Luisa Mandelli; Zachary A Miller; Miguel A Santos-Santos; Stephen M Wilson; Federica Agosta; Lea T Grinberg; Eric J Huang; John Q Trojanowski; Marita Meyer; Maya L Henry; Giancarlo Comi; Gil Rabinovici; Howard J Rosen; Massimo Filippi; Bruce L Miller; William W Seeley; Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini Journal: Ann Neurol Date: 2017-03-20 Impact factor: 10.422
Authors: Stephen M Wilson; Maya L Henry; Max Besbris; Jennifer M Ogar; Nina F Dronkers; William Jarrold; Bruce L Miller; Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini Journal: Brain Date: 2010-06-11 Impact factor: 13.501
Authors: E Paulesu; J F Démonet; F Fazio; E McCrory; V Chanoine; N Brunswick; S F Cappa; G Cossu; M Habib; C D Frith; U Frith Journal: Science Date: 2001-03-16 Impact factor: 47.728
Authors: Nikil Patel; Katie A Peterson; Ruth U Ingram; Ian Storey; Stefano F Cappa; Eleonora Catricala; Ajay Halai; Karalyn E Patterson; Matthew A Lambon Ralph; James B Rowe; Peter Garrard Journal: Brain Commun Date: 2021-12-21
Authors: V Borghesani; G Battistella; M L Mandelli; A Welch; E Weis; K Younes; J Neuhaus; L T Grinberg; W M Seeley; S Spina; B Miller; Z Miller; M L Gorno-Tempini Journal: Neuroimage Clin Date: 2020-08-06 Impact factor: 4.881