Cognitive linguistic investigations in Gerstmann syndrome with vascular cognitive impairment

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Daly Sebastian, B S Premalatha, Navomi Mery Sunil, Shova Adhikari and Nisha Sunil

Bangalore University, India

: J Spine Neurosurg

Abstract

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Background: The consequences of cerebrovascular accidents are multifaceted. Vascular Cognitive Impairment (VCI) and Gerstmann’s Syndrome are examples of two conditions associated with vascular lesions. Co-existence of these two conditions is rare. Aim: To investigate the nature of cognitive linguistic deficits in co-morbid condition of VCI impairment with GS. Method: The participant of this study is a 31 year old Bilingual (Arabic-English) male who had an ischemic stroke involving the left middle cerebral artery leading to a large infarct in the left frontotemporoparietal lobe with a dominant parietal lobe lesion. The clinical tools used were Western Aphasia Battery (WAB), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE-R) and check list based on International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) frame work. Results: The test battery approach used to identify these two conditions confirmed the co-morbidity of Vascular Cognitive Impairment with Gerstmann’s syndrome. Clinical evaluation revealed acalculia, alexia, finger agnosia, right-left confusion and memory loss. Cross linguistic deficits were also documented in Arabic and English. In addition, over all functionality was profiled by using ICF frame work. Conclusion: This current study provides an insight to the importance of carefully investigating the co-morbidity of conditions as a result of vascular lesions as these are overlooked in clinical settings and would therefore hinder the specific treatment approaches related to cognitive linguistic rehabilitation for the individual.

Biography

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Daly Sebastian is currently working as Lecturer in Department of Speech Language Studies, Dr. S R Chandrasekhar Institute of Speech and Hearing, Bangalore University. Her areas of research interest are neurogenic communication disorders, multilingualism and neuro cognition. She has published papers in reputed journals and contributed chapter in international text books.