Affiliations: [a] Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| [b] Alzheimer’s disease and other Cognitive Disorders Unit, Service of Neurology, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain | [c] Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau) –Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau (HSP), Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), National Institute of Health Carlos III, Spain
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: Stephanie M. Grasso, PhD, CCC-SSLP, The University of Texas at Austin, 2504A Whitis Ave. (A1100), Austin, TX 78712-0114, USA. Tel.: +1 626 864 8957; E-mail: smgrasso@austin.utexas.edu.
Abstract: Background:Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a neurodegenerative syndrome characterized by speech and/or language impairment with relatively spared cognition. Research investigating behavioral speech-language intervention and methods for cognitive-linguistic assessment in PPA has predominantly centered around monolingual speakers. This gap hinders the widespread adoption of evidence-based approaches and exacerbates the inequities faced by culturally and linguistically diverse populations living with PPA. Objective:This scoping review synthesizes the current evidence for assessment and treatment practices in bilingual PPA as well as the operationalization of bilingualism in PPA. Methods:Arksey & O’Malley’s scoping review methodology was utilized. Information was extracted from each study and entered into a data-charting template designed to capture information regarding operationalization of bilingualism in PPA and assessment and treatment practices. Results:Of the 16 identified studies, 14 reported the results of assessments conducted in both languages. Three studies reported positive naming treatment outcomes. Thirteen studies included English-speaking participants, revealing linguistic bias. Most studies reported age of acquisition, proficiency, and patterns of language use rather than providing an operational definition for bilingualism. Conclusions:Neither formal assessment measures nor clear guidelines for assessment of bilingual PPA currently exist; however, language-specific measures are emerging. Speech-language intervention in bilingual PPA has been relatively unexplored, representing a significant gap in the literature. In order to improve diagnostic and treatment options for bilingual PPA, targeted efforts to increase representation of bilinguals from various sociocultural contexts, as well as those who speak a variety of language pairs, is necessary.
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, aphasia, assessment, bilingualism, cultural and linguistic diversity, dementia, intervention, language, primary progressive aphasia, scoping review, speech-language pathology
