Cognitive and neurobiological characterization of deficit awareness in aphasia after stroke

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Dorothee Saur
• Subject Area: Clinical Neurology; Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology ; Human Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience
• Term: from 2018 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 393048839

Anosognosia is defined as the lack of recognition of illness and is well described for a variety of neurological deficits in perception, motor or cognitive functions. Although a disturbance of deficit awareness is common in aphasia and strongly influences recovery and prognosis, the neurobiological basis and the cognitive processes involved in anosognosia for aphasia (AFA) have not yet been investigated systematically. The goal of this grant is to identify the behavioral, neurobiological and cognitive characteristics of AFA in patients with aphasia after ischemic stroke. In work package 1, we will use a novel test-battery to assess anosognosia for both language comprehension and production deficits in an aphasic patient population in the acute and chronic phase after stroke. In combination with voxelwise lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) and network lesion-symptom mapping (NLSM) we will identify brain regions and lesion-dependent networks causally related to AFA. In work package 2, we will test the cognitive basis underlying AFA in patients with chronic aphasia. This includes experiments of error monitoring in language comprehension and production as well as metacognitive skills using eye tracking and ERP-measurements. Together this approach will give a multimodal characterization of AFA as a basis for the development of novel behavioral and cognitive treatment strategies in aphasia rehabilitation.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants