Introduction
Phonological impairment contributes to deficits in repetition and spoken naming in the logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA).
Case Presentation
A 71-year-old right-handed native English speaker with 16 years of education presented with complaints of language impairment, word-finding difficulties with unimpaired speech production, and relatively preserved grammatical construction of sentences.
Physical Examination
- Based on the results from neuroimaging and neuropsychological evaluation the patient received a diagnosis of lvPPA.
- A PET (positron emission tomography) scan indicated asymmetric temporoparietal hypometabolism more pronounced in the left hemisphere, consistent with lvPPA.
Clinical Examination
- The patient’s primary complaints were trouble with word-finding, spelling, and remembering instructions.
- The patient reported that she had been experiencing language difficulty for about 15 months.
Treatment
- The patient received behavioural treatment to strengthen phonological skills to provide stronger support for spoken and written language.
- Phonological treatment focused on sound blending skills.
Clinical Outcome
- The patient reported greater confidence in her writing.
- The patient also shared that she had begun writing more at home (notes, emails).
- The patient improved phonological skills in response to behavioral treatment