What we can learn from naming errors of children with language impairment at preschool age.

Naming is a complex, multi-level process. It is composed of distinct semantic and phonological levels. Children with naming deficits produce different error types when failing to retrieve the target word.

Processing of basic speech acts following localized brain damage: a new light on the neuroanatomy of language.

We examined the effect of localized brain lesions on processing of the basic speech acts (BSAs) of question, assertion, request, and command. Both left and right cerebral damage produced significant deficits relative to normal controls, and left brain damaged patients performed worse than patients with right-sided lesions. This finding argues against the common conjecture that the right hemisphere of most right-handers plays a dominant role in natural language pragmatics.

Loewenstein communication scale for the minimally responsive patient.

Primary Objective: Any sign of communicative ability in patients in vegetative state can provide information about regain of consciousness and conservation of cognitive abilities. The aim of this study was to test the reliability and validity of an instrument designed to measure the degree of communication in minimally responsive patients.

Materials: The Loewenstein Communication Scale (LCS) measures five hierarchical functions - mobility, respiration, visual responsiveness, auditory comprehension and linguistic skills (verbal or alternative) - which are divided into five parameters and rated in developmental order on a 5-point scale by level of difficulty.