@article{ZakariasSalisWartenburger2019, author = {Zakari{\´a}s, Lilla and Salis, Christos and Wartenburger, Isabell}, title = {Transfereffekte nach Arbeitsged{\"a}chtnistraining bei Aphasie}, series = {Spektrum Patholinguistik}, journal = {Spektrum Patholinguistik}, number = {11}, publisher = {Universit{\"a}tsverlag Potsdam}, address = {Potsdam}, isbn = {978-3-86956-448-7}, issn = {1866-9085}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-43779}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-437799}, pages = {131 -- 133}, year = {2019}, language = {de} } @article{ZakariasSalisWartenburger2018, author = {Zakarias, Lilla and Salis, Christos and Wartenburger, Isabell}, title = {Transfer effects on spoken sentence comprehension and functional communication after working memory training in stroke aphasia}, series = {Journal of neurolinguistics : an international journal for the study of brain function in language behavior and experience}, volume = {48}, journal = {Journal of neurolinguistics : an international journal for the study of brain function in language behavior and experience}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {0911-6044}, doi = {10.1016/j.jneuroling.2017.12.002}, pages = {47 -- 63}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Recent treatment protocols have been successful in improving working memory (WM) in individuals with aphasia. However, the evidence to date is small and the extent to which improvements in trained tasks of WM transfer to untrained memory tasks, spoken sentence comprehension, and functional communication is yet poorly understood. To address these issues, we conducted a multiple baseline study with three German-speaking individuals with chronic post stroke aphasia. Participants practised two computerised WM tasks (n-back with pictures and aback with spoken words) four times a week for a month, targeting two WM processes: updating WM representations and resolving interference. All participants showed improvement on at least one measure of spoken sentence comprehension and everyday memory activities. Two of them showed improvement also on measures of WM and functional communication. Our results suggest that WM can be improved through computerised training in chronic aphasia and this can transfer to spoken sentence comprehension and functional communication in some individuals.}, language = {en} } @misc{ZakariasKellySailsetal.2019, author = {Zakarias, Lilla and Kelly, Helen and Sails, Christos and Code, Chris}, title = {The methodological quality of short-term/working memory treatments in poststroke aphasia}, series = {Journal of speech, language, and hearing research}, volume = {62}, journal = {Journal of speech, language, and hearing research}, number = {6}, publisher = {American Speech-Language-Hearing Assoc.}, address = {Rockville}, issn = {1092-4388}, doi = {10.1044/2018_JSLHR-L-18-0057}, pages = {1979 -- 2001}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Purpose: The aims of this systematic review are to provide a critical overview of short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WM) treatments in stroke aphasia and to systematically evaluate the internal and external validity of STM/WM treatments. Method: A systematic search was conducted in February 2014 and then updated in December 2016 using 13 electronic databases. We provided descriptive characteristics of the included studies and assessed their methodological quality using the Risk of Bias in N-of-1 Trials quantitative scale (Tate et al., 2015), which was completed by 2 independent raters. Results: The systematic search and inclusion/exclusion procedure yielded 17 single-case or case-series studies with 37 participants for inclusion. Nine studies targeted auditory STM consisting of repetition and/or recognition tasks, whereas 8 targeted attention and WM, such as attention process training including n-back tasks with shapes and clock faces as well as mental math tasks. In terms of their methodological quality, quality scores on the Risk of Bias in N-of-1 Trials scale ranged from 4 to 17 (M = 9.5) on a 0-30 scale, indicating a high risk of bias in the reviewed studies. Effects of treatment were most frequently assessed on STM, WM, and spoken language comprehension. Transfer effects on communication and memory in activities of daily living were tested in only 5 studies. Conclusions: Methodological limitations of the reviewed studies make it difficult, at present, to draw firm conclusions about the effects of STM/WM treatments in poststroke aphasia. Further studies with more rigorous methodology and stronger experimental control are needed to determine the beneficial effects of this type of intervention. To understand the underlying mechanisms of STM/WM treatment effects and how they relate to language functioning, a careful choice of outcome measures and specific hypotheses about potential improvements on these measures are required. Future studies need to include outcome measures of memory functioning in everyday life and psychosocial functioning more generally to demonstrate the ecological validity of STM and WM treatments.}, language = {en} } @article{ZakariasKeresztesMartonetal.2016, author = {Zakari{\´a}s, Lilla and Keresztes, Attila and Marton, Klara and Wartenburger, Isabell}, title = {Positive effects of a computerised working memory and executive function}, series = {Neuropsychological rehabilitation}, volume = {28}, journal = {Neuropsychological rehabilitation}, number = {3}, publisher = {Routledge, Taylor \& Francis Group}, address = {Abingdon}, issn = {0960-2011}, doi = {10.1080/09602011.2016.1159579}, pages = {369 -- 386}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Aphasia, the language disorder following brain damage, is frequently accompanied by deficits of working memory (WM) and executive functions (EFs). Recent studies suggest that WM, together with certain EFs, can play a role in sentence comprehension in individuals with aphasia (IWA), and that WM can be enhanced with intensive practice. Our aim was to investigate whether a combined WM and EF training improves the understanding of spoken sentences in IWA. We used a pre-post-test case control design. Three individuals with chronic aphasia practised an adaptive training task (a modified n-back task) three to four times a week for a month. Their performance was assessed before and after the training on outcome measures related to WM and spoken sentence comprehension. One participant showed significant improvement on the training task, another showed a tendency for improvement, and both of them improved significantly in spoken sentence comprehension. The third participant did not improve on the training task, however, she showed improvement on one measure of spoken sentence comprehension. Compared to controls, two individuals improved at least in one condition of the WM outcome measures. Thus, our results suggest that a combined WM and EF training can be beneficial for IWA.}, language = {en} } @article{FyndanisLindVarlokostaetal.2017, author = {Fyndanis, Valantis and Lind, Marianne and Varlokosta, Spyridoula and Kambanaros, Maria and Soroli, Efstathia and Ceder, Klaudia and Grohmann, Kleanthes K. and Rofes, Adri{\`a} and Simonsen, Hanne Gram and Bjekić, Jovana and Gavarr{\´o}, Anna and Kraljević, Jelena Kuvač and Mart{\´i}nez-Ferreiro, Silvia and Munarriz, Amaia and Pourquie, Marie and Vuksanović, Jasmina and Zakari{\´a}s, Lilla and Howard, David}, title = {Cross-linguistic adaptations of The Comprehensive Aphasia Test}, series = {Clinical linguistics \& phonetics}, volume = {31}, journal = {Clinical linguistics \& phonetics}, number = {7-9}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis Group}, address = {Philadelphia}, issn = {0269-9206}, doi = {10.1080/02699206.2017.1310299}, pages = {697 -- 710}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Comparative research on aphasia and aphasia rehabilitation is challenged by the lack of comparable assessment tools across different languages. In English, a large array of tools is available, while in most other languages, the selection is more limited. Importantly, assessment tools are often simple translations and do not take into consideration specific linguistic and psycholinguistic parameters of the target languages. As a first step in meeting the needs for comparable assessment tools, the Comprehensive Aphasia Test is currently being adapted into a number of languages spoken in Europe. In this article, some key challenges encountered in the adaptation process and the solutions to ensure that the resulting assessment tools are linguistically and culturally equivalent, are proposed. Specifically, we focus on challenges and solutions related to the use of imageability, frequency, word length, spelling-to-sound regularity and sentence length and complexity as underlying properties in the selection of the testing material.}, language = {en} } @article{RofesZakariasCederetal.2018, author = {Rofes, Adria and Zakarias, Lilla and Ceder, Klaudia and Lind, Marianne and Johansson, Monica Blom and de Aguiar, Vania and Bjekic, Jovana and Fyndanis, Valantis and Gavarro, Anna and Simonsen, Hanne Gram and Hernandez Sacristan, Carlos and Kambanaros, Maria and Kraljevic, Jelena Kuva and Martinez-Ferreiro, Silvia and Mavis, Ilknur and Mendez Orellana, Carolina and Sor, Ingrid and Lukacs, Agnes and Tuncer, Muge and Vuksanovic, Jasmina and Munarriz Ibarrola, Amaia and Pourquie, Marie and Varlokosta, Spyridoula and Howard, David}, title = {Imageability ratings across languages}, series = {Behavior research methods : a journal of the Psychonomic Society}, volume = {50}, journal = {Behavior research methods : a journal of the Psychonomic Society}, number = {3}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {New York}, issn = {1554-351X}, doi = {10.3758/s13428-017-0936-0}, pages = {1187 -- 1197}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Imageability is a psycholinguistic variable that indicates how well a word gives rise to a mental image or sensory experience. Imageability ratings are used extensively in psycholinguistic, neuropsychological, and aphasiological studies. However, little formal knowledge exists about whether and how these ratings are associated between and within languages. Fifteen imageability databases were cross-correlated using nonparametric statistics. Some of these corresponded to unpublished data collected within a European research network-the Collaboration of Aphasia Trialists (COST IS1208). All but four of the correlations were significant. The average strength of the correlations (rho = .68) and the variance explained (R (2) = 46\%) were moderate. This implies that factors other than imageability may explain 54\% of the results. Imageability ratings often correlate across languages. Different possibly interacting factors may explain the moderate strength and variance explained in the correlations: (1) linguistic and cultural factors; (2) intrinsic differences between the databases; (3) range effects; (4) small numbers of words in each database, equivalent words, and participants; and (5) mean age of the participants. The results suggest that imageability ratings may be used cross-linguistically. However, further understanding of the factors explaining the variance in the correlations will be needed before research and practical recommendations can be made.}, language = {en} } @article{MartonEichornCampanellietal.2016, author = {Marton, Klara and Eichorn, Naomi and Campanelli, Luca and Zakarias, Lilla}, title = {Working Memory and Interference Control in Children with Specific Language Impairment}, series = {Language and linguistics compass}, volume = {10}, journal = {Language and linguistics compass}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {1749-818X}, doi = {10.1111/lnc3.12189}, pages = {211 -- 224}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Language and communication disorders are often associated with deficits in working memory (WM) and interference control. WM studies involving children with specific language impairment (SLI) have traditionally been framed using either resource theories or decay accounts, particularly Baddeley's model. Although significant interference problems in children with SLI are apparent in error analysis data from WM and language tasks, interference theories and paradigms have not been widely used in the SLI literature. A primary goal of the present paper is to provide an overview of interference deficits in children with SLI. Review of the extant literature on interference control shows deficits in this population; however, the source and the nature of the deficit remain unclear. Thus, a second key aim in our review is to demonstrate the need for theoretically driven experimental paradigms in order to better understand individual variations associated with interference weaknesses in children with SLI.}, language = {en} } @misc{VoigtZimmermannStierLascheitetal.2019, author = {Voigt-Zimmermann, Susanne and Stier, Karl-Heinz and Lascheit, Thomas and Kruse, Stephanie A. and Blickensdorff, Maria and F{\"o}rster, Theresa and Schumacher, Rebecca and Burchert, Frank and Ablinger, Irene and F{\"o}rster, Christine and Wahl, Michael and Schirmacher, Irene and Ostermann, Frank and Welke, Lisa-Marie and Frank, Ulrike and Zakari{\´a}s, Lilla and Salis, Christos and Wartenburger, Isabell and Krug, Ragna and St{\"u}bner, Hanna and Hoffmann, Sophie and Heide, Judith}, title = {Spektrum Patholinguistik Band 11. Schwerpunktthema: Gut gestimmt: Diagnostik und Therapie bei Dysphonie}, number = {11}, editor = {Fritzsche, Tom and Yetim, {\"O}zlem and Otto, Constanze and Adelt, Anne}, publisher = {Universit{\"a}tsverlag Potsdam}, address = {Potsdam}, isbn = {978-3-86956-448-7}, issn = {1866-9085}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-41857}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-418574}, pages = {142}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Das 11. Herbsttreffen Patholinguistik mit dem Schwerpunktthema »Gut gestimmt: Diagnostik und Therapie bei Dysphonie« fand am 18.11.2017 in Potsdam statt. Das Herbsttreffen wird seit 2007 j{\"a}hrlich vom Verband f{\"u}r Patholinguistik e.V. (vpl) durchgef{\"u}hrt. Der vorliegende Tagungsband beinhaltet die Hauptvortr{\"a}ge zum Schwerpunktthema sowie Beitr{\"a}ge zu den Kurzvortr{\"a}gen »Spektrum Patholinguistik« und der Posterpr{\"a}sentationen zu weiteren Themen aus der sprachtherapeutischen Forschung und Praxis.}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Zakarias2018, author = {Zakari{\´a}s, Lilla}, title = {Transfer effects after working memory training in post-stroke aphasia}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-42360}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-423600}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {178}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Background: Individuals with aphasia after stroke (IWA) often present with working memory (WM) deficits. Research investigating the relationship between WM and language abilities has led to the promising hypothesis that treatments of WM could lead to improvements in language, a phenomenon known as transfer. Although recent treatment protocols have been successful in improving WM, the evidence to date is scarce and the extent to which improvements in trained tasks of WM transfer to untrained memory tasks, spoken sentence comprehension, and functional communication is yet poorly understood. Aims: We aimed at (a) investigating whether WM can be improved through an adaptive n-back training in IWA (Study 1-3); (b) testing whether WM training leads to near transfer to unpracticed WM tasks (Study 1-3), and far transfer to spoken sentence comprehension (Study 1-3), functional communication (Study 2-3), and memory in daily life in IWA (Study 2-3); and (c) evaluating the methodological quality of existing WM treatments in IWA (Study 3). To address these goals, we conducted two empirical studies - a case-controls study with Hungarian speaking IWA (Study 1) and a multiple baseline study with German speaking IWA (Study 2) - and a systematic review (Study 3). Methods: In Study 1 and 2 participants with chronic, post-stroke aphasia performed an adaptive, computerized n-back training. 'Adaptivity' was implemented by adjusting the tasks' difficulty level according to the participants' performance, ensuring that they always practiced at an optimal level of difficulty. To assess the specificity of transfer effects and to better understand the underlying mechanisms of transfer on spoken sentence comprehension, we included an outcome measure testing specific syntactic structures that have been proposed to involve WM processes (e.g., non-canonical structures with varying complexity). Results: We detected a mixed pattern of training and transfer effects across individuals: five participants out of six significantly improved in the n-back training. Our most important finding is that all six participants improved significantly in spoken sentence comprehension (i.e., far transfer effects). In addition, we also found far transfer to functional communication (in two participants out of three in Study 2) and everyday memory functioning (in all three participants in Study 2), and near transfer to unpracticed n-back tasks (in four participants out of six). Pooled data analysis of Study 1 and 2 showed a significant negative relationship between initial spoken sentence comprehension and the amount of improvement in this ability, suggesting that the more severe the participants' spoken sentence comprehension deficit was at the beginning of training, the more they improved after training. Taken together, we detected both near far and transfer effects in our studies, but the effects varied across participants. The systematic review evaluating the methodological quality of existing WM treatments in stroke IWA (Study 3) showed poor internal and external validity across the included 17 studies. Poor internal validity was mainly due to use of inappropriate design, lack of randomization of study phases, lack of blinding of participants and/or assessors, and insufficient sampling. Low external validity was mainly related to incomplete information on the setting, lack of use of appropriate analysis or justification for the suitability of the analysis procedure used, and lack of replication across participants and/or behaviors. Results in terms of WM, spoken sentence comprehension, and reading are promising, but further studies with more rigorous methodology and stronger experimental control are needed to determine the beneficial effects of WM intervention. Conclusions: Results of the empirical studies suggest that WM can be improved with a computerized and adaptive WM training, and improvements can lead to transfer effects to spoken sentence comprehension and functional communication in some individuals with chronic post-stroke aphasia. The fact that improvements were not specific to certain syntactic structures (i.e., non-canonical complex sentences) in spoken sentence comprehension suggest that WM is not involved in the online, automatic processing of syntactic information (i.e., parsing and interpretation), but plays a more general role in the later stage of spoken sentence comprehension (i.e., post-interpretive comprehension). The individual differences in treatment outcomes call for future research to clarify how far these results are generalizable to the population level of IWA. Future studies are needed to identify a few mechanisms that may generalize to at least a subpopulation of IWA as well as to investigate baseline non-linguistic cognitive and language abilities that may play a role in transfer effects and the maintenance of such effects. These may require larger yet homogenous samples.}, language = {en} }