[Verbal communication disorders and language disorders in cortical dementias (I). The current state of the art in research]. / Alteraciones de la comunicacion verbal y alteraciones del lenguaje en las demencias corticales (I). Estado actual de la investigacion.

INTRODUCTION: This is the first part of a research work into primary and secondary language disorders (LD) in the stages of minimum to mild pathological deterioration in the degenerative process of cortical dementias. AIMS. In this first part, in the light of recent models of symbolic computation of language processing, we review the most significant publications on the subject matter. DEVELOPMENT: We begin with an introduction to the historical development of the approaches used to deal with the subject. Following that, we briefly describe the components of the language processing system (LPS) in the light of symbolic computation models. We then analyse the publications dealing with those models. Our aim was to determine whether the LD reported in those publications are the result of a primary involvement of any of the LPS components, or whether they are only the result of disorders affecting other components of the cognitive system. In this case, the supposed LD would be secondary and thus a communication, but not language, disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the important variations from one individual to another that have been systematically observed by different authors, it seems that only LD belonging to so called primary progressive aphasia are actually cases of this disorder. In all the other dementias in the above mentioned stages of the development process these disorders are secondary to the involvement of other subsystems of the LPS.

Alteraciones de la comunicación verbal y alteraciones del lenguaje en las demencias corticales (I). Estado actual de la investigación / Verbal communication disorders and language disorders in cortical dementia (I). The current state of the art in research

Introducción. Esta es la primera parte de un trabajo de investigación sobre las alteraciones del lenguaje (AL) primarias y secundarias, en las etapas de deterioro patológico mínimo a ligero del proceso degenerativo de las demencias corticales. Objetivo. En esta primera parte, a la luz de los modernos modelos de computación de símbolos de procesamiento del lenguaje, se revisan las publicaciones más relevantes sobre el tema de la investigación. Desarrollo. Se realiza una introducción sobre la evolución histórica de los acercamientos al tema. Sigue un apartado en el que se describen, de forma resumida, los componentes del sistema de procesamiento del lenguaje (SPL), a la luz de los modelos de computación de símbolos. Se analizan luego las publicaciones revisadas, en referencia a dichos modelos. Se trata de determinar si las AL señaladas en dichas publicaciones son el resultado de una afectación primaria de alguno de los componentes del SPL o si son sólo el resultado de la afectación de otros componentes del sistema cognitivo. En este caso, las pretendidas AL serían secundarias y, en consecuencia, se trataría de alteraciones de la comunicación, pero no del lenguaje. Conclusiones. A pesar de la gran variabilidad interindividual sistemáticamente observada por los diferentes autores, parece que sólo las AL propias de la denominada `afasia progresiva primaria' son tales. En todas las demás demencias -en las etapas del proceso evolutivo mencionadas-, esas alteraciones son secundarias a la afectación de otros subsistemas diferentes del SPL (AU)

[Methodology of basic research in cognitive neuropsychology]. / Metodología de la investigación básica en neuropsicología cognitiva.

INTRODUCTION AND METHOD: The issue regarding the relations between behaviour and the brain is no longer the specific goal of neuropsychology, but rather that of the coordinated multidisciplinary activity of all the disciplines that go to make up the neurosciences. The specific contribution of neuropsychology to this multidisciplinary activity consists in trying to determine the nature of cognitive processes so that, in the future, it will be possible to ascertain the anatomophysiological foundations for each of them. The aim of basic research in cognitive neuropsychology is precisely that. The growing interest in research in this discipline that has been observed over the past few years in Spain has not usually been accompanied by the awareness of the fact that conducting research with damaged brains requires (if it is to be valid) a methodology that is specific and different to the methodology used in research with intact brains. In this study we describe some of the main fundamental principles of basic research in cognitive neuropsychology. Through the scientific analysis of a recent piece of research work, we illustrate the consequences of not bearing these principles in mind. CONCLUSIONS: We propose a methodology that can be used to approach basic research in cognitive neuropsychology that allows these undesirable consequences to be avoided. This same methodology constitutes a guide that enables us to evaluate the conclusions of the research, regardless of the statistical processing of the data that support them. Scientific criticism contributes more to the advance of science than actual research does.

Metodología de la investigación básica en neuropsicología cognitiva / Methodology of basic research in cognitive neuropsychology

Introducción y desarrollo. La cuestión de las relaciones entre la conducta y el cerebro ha dejado de ser la meta específica de la neuropsicología, para pasar a serlo de la actividad pluridisciplinar coordinada del conjunto de disciplinas que integran la neurociencia. La aportación específica de la neuropsicología a dicha actividad pluridisciplinar consiste en tratar de determinar la naturaleza de los procesos cognitivos, a fin de que, en un futuro, sea posible determinar las bases anatomofisiológicas de cada uno de ellos. Ése es, precisamente, el objetivo de la investigación básica en neuropsicología cognitiva. El creciente interés por la investigación en esta disciplina, que se observa en España en los últimos años, no suele ir acompañado de la conciencia de que la investigación con cerebros dañados requiere, para ser válida, una metodología específica y diferente de la metodología propia de la investigación con cerebros intactos. Se exponen aquí algunos de los principios fundamentales de la investigación básica en neuropsicología cognitiva. Las consecuencias de no tener en cuenta esos principios se ilustran mediante el análisis científico de una investigación reciente. Conclusiones. Se propone una metodología de acercamiento a la investigación básica en neuropsicología cognitiva que permite evitar esas consecuencias no deseables. Esa misma metodología constituye una guía para poder evaluar la validez de las conclusiones de una investigación, con independencia del tratamiento estadístico de los datos que la sustenten. La crítica científica aporta más al progreso de la ciencia que la propia investigación (AU)

Introduction and method. The issue regarding the relations between behaviour and the brain is no longer the specific goal of neuropsychology, but rather that of the coordinated multidisciplinary activity of all the disciplines that go to make up the neurosciences. The specific contribution of neuropsychology to this multidisciplinary activity consists in trying to determine the nature of cognitive processes so that, in the future, it will be possible to ascertain the anatomophysiological foundations for each of them. The aim of basic research in cognitive neuropsychology is precisely that. The growing interest in research in this discipline that has been observed over the past few years in Spain has not usually been accompanied by the awareness of the fact that conducting research with damaged brains requires (if it is to be valid) a methodology that is specific and different to the methodology used in research with intact brains. In this study we describe some of the main fundamental principles of basic research in cognitive neuropsychology. Through the scientific analysis of a recent piece of research work, we illustrate the consequences of not bearing these principles in mind. Conclusions. We propose a methodology that can be used to approach basic research in cognitive neuropsychology that allows these undesirable consequences to be avoided. This same methodology constitutes a guide that enables us to evaluate the conclusions of the research, regardless of the statistical processing of the data that support them. Scientific criticism contributes more to the advance of science than actual research does (AU)

A cross-linguistic study of grammatical morphology in Spanish- and English-speaking agrammatic patients.

To account for cross-linguistic differences in agrammatism, Bates and her colleagues have employed the Competition Model, proposing that the cue validity and cue costs of a grammatical morpheme in a particular language will directly affect how agrammatism is manifested. Using Goodglass et al.'s (1993) Morphosyntax Battery in English and a translated version in Spanish, we analyzed the use of equivalent grammatical structures in production and comprehension by agrammatic speakers of the two languages. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests revealed that the relative order of difficulty in both production and comprehension of various grammatical morphemes was the same for both Spanish- and English-speaking agrammatic patients, with two exceptions (1) the Spanish-speaking agrammatics were relatively better at producing subject-verb agreement, and (2) the Spanish speakers were significantly worse at comprehending both active and passive voice sentences. The Competition Model can explain the performance differences regarding subject-verb agreement and comprehension of active voice sentences, but it cannot account for the differences seen in comprehending passive voice sentences.

[Evaluation of memory in neuropsychological clinic]. / Evaluación de la memoria en la clínica neuropsicológica.

Following an introduction in which the history of the clinical evaluation of memory is briefly reviewed, a methodology is described for the evaluation of patients complaining of memory loss, or in whom such deterioration is observed, although it was not the reason for consultation. The main instruments currently available for evaluation are described. Methodological problems posed by the use of these instruments, and the precautions necessary when interpreting the data thus obtained, are discussed. The conclusion summarizes the use of the proposed methodology, both in the differential diagnosis of changes of memory and in establishing individual rehabilitation programmes or compensation.

Body image and comprehension of body part names.

The relation between awareness of body topology and auditory comprehension of body part names was studied in 22 aphasic subjects. Two nonverbal tasks--human figure drawing and placement of individual body parts in relation to a drawn face--were compared with two auditory tests of body part comprehension. The two nonverbal and the two verbal tasks were closely correlated with each other, but there was no relation involving either of the verbal tests with either of the nonverbal tests. Selection errors in the auditory comprehension tasks were predominantly semantically based and equally distributed between functionally analogous parts and parts related by location on the body.

[Mental capacities in a group of hydrocephalic children (author's transl)]. / Deficiencias del comportamiento intelectual en los niños hidrocefálicos.

The present work proposes the analytical study of mental capacities in a group of hydrocephalic children through a unique instrument: The McCarthy Scales of Children Abilities. A) Results on the patients of different etiology are analyzed. B) Shunted children who never needed review of their shunts are compared with the ones who needed it. C) Hydrocephalic children are matched with a control group of normal children. Our results seem to show that: there is no relation between etiology and intellectual level. Although statistically does not seem to exist relation between intellectual level and number of reviews of shunts, the patients who needed more reviews got worse results. Performances by hydrocephalic children are in general lower than those attained by a control group. The most impaired capacities are the motor skills followed by those involving perceptual-manipulative behaviors. Although they achieve relatively good scores in the Verbal Scale, certain difficulties are shown in the qualitative sense. From these findings authors conclude that an early reeducation of most impaired abilities is recommended as complement for the surgical operation.