Abstract
Lexical retrieval impairments (also known as anomia or word-finding deficits) are
an early and prominent symptom in primary progressive aphasia (PPA), causing distress
and frustration to individuals with PPA and their communication partners, and prompting
research on lexical retrieval treatment. This paper reviews the research on lexical
retrieval treatment in PPA from the earliest reports in the 1990s to early 2018 and
considers the implications of this research for clinical practice. The number of published
studies has increased markedly over the past decade, consisting primarily of behavioral
studies, with rapid recent growth in noninvasive brain stimulation studies. Five general
treatment techniques were identified in the behavioral studies, described here as
standard naming treatment, Look, Listen, Repeat treatment, cueing hierarchies, semantically
focused treatments, and lexical retrieval in context. Across techniques, behavioral
studies targeting difficult-to-retrieve items typically report immediate gains, and
there is evidence these gains can be maintained over months to years by some participants
who continue with long-term treatment. There is also evidence that prophylactic treatment
supports retrieval of treated items compared with untreated items. There is limited
evidence for generalization of treatment to untreated items, suggesting the primary
aim of lexical retrieval treatment in this population is to maintain retrieval of
a core vocabulary for as long as possible. Language and cognitive assessment and piloting
of the intended treatment can inform decisions about treatment selection and participant
suitability for long-term lexical retrieval treatment. The paper concludes with some
questions to guide clinical decision making about whether to implement or continue
with a behavioral lexical retrieval treatment.
Keywords
semantic dementia - PPA - speech therapy - cognitive intervention - review
