Providing fundamental neurophysiological language-markers by addressing Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA)

Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) is a progressive form of dementia characterized by the global

loss of language abilities and initial preservation of other cognitive functions. Three variants of PPA

–logopenic, semantic, and non-fluent/agrammatic –have been concluded in consensus by an

international group of researchers (Gorno-Tempini et al., 2011). However, this classification is

mainly based on clinical criteria. Since Aerts et al. (2015) have concluded that electrophysiological

registration is more sensitive than behavioral evaluation in patients with aphasia after stroke,

neurophysiological language-markers are needed for the differential diagnosis of the PPA

subtypes. The research group involved has already developed a feasible and normed

neurophysiological test battery to investigate language on the level of phonology, semantics, and

grammar in both healthy control participants and patients with aphasia. The final goal of this

project is to refine and/or adapt the classification system with neurophysiological languagemarkers.

Hence, this proposal comprises fundamental research in language. The novelty of the

proposal has been indicated by the lacking knowledge on the gradual and selective dissolution of

language networks and the related neuroplasticity of language in a degenerative central nerve

system. The strength of the proposal has been specified by the well-developed EEG set-up and the

possibility to objectively advance the current PPA taxonomy.