A Common Occurrence: Difficulty Finding Words
Many people have experienced moments when they are unable to find the word they want to use in the middle of a speech, despite knowing it well.
Almost everyone can have difficulty finding words from time to time, but if this happens with a wide range of words, names, and numbers, it may be a sign of a neurological disorder.
The Process of Word Production
Spoken word production involves several stages of processing, including:
- Identifying the intended meaning
- Choosing the appropriate word from the speaker’s mental dictionary
- Recovering the voice pattern
- Implementing the movements of the speech organs for pronunciation
Word-finding difficulties can occur at each of these processing stages.
When a healthy speaker cannot retrieve a word from their vocabulary, despite feeling familiar with it, linguists refer to this as the “tip of the tongue” phenomenon. The name comes from the saying “on the tip of my tongue” when failing to recall a word from memory.
Tip of the tongue is a relatively common type of speech error that primarily occurs during the retrieval of the phonetic pattern of a word.
Word-finding difficulties can occur at any age, but they tend to occur more frequently as we get older. In older people, this can lead to feelings of frustration and anxiety about the possibility of dementia, although it is not always a cause for concern.
Factors Affecting Word-Finding Difficulties
Researchers have studied word-finding difficulties by asking individuals to keep a diary recording how often they experience the tip of the tongue phenomenon and in what context. These studies have shown that certain types of words are more likely to lead to tip-of-the-tongue states than others.
For example, names of people and places, concrete nouns such as “dog” or “building,” and abstract nouns like “beauty” or “truth” are more likely to cause tip-of-the-tongue states than verbs and adjectives.
Less frequently used words also tend to lead to tip-of-the-tongue situations because they have weaker connections between their meanings and their sound patterns compared to commonly used words.
Additionally, studies have revealed that tip-of-the-tongue occurrences are more likely to happen under socially stressful circumstances, such as when speakers are being evaluated, regardless of their age.
When Word-Finding Difficulties Indicate Something Serious
If individuals frequently experience difficulties in recalling words with a wider range of words, names, and numbers, it may indicate a more serious problem.
Linguists use the terms “agnosia” or “anomic aphasia” to describe this condition, which can be related to brain damage caused by stroke, tumors, head injury, or dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
If people are unable to describe or represent the word being spoken, it likely indicates an actual loss of word knowledge or meaning. This could be a sign of a more serious problem, such as primary progressive aphasia.
Understanding Primary Progressive Aphasia
Primary progressive aphasia is a rare syndrome that affects the nervous system and impairs communication. It is considered one of the types of frontotemporal dementia, which results from the degeneration of the frontal or temporal lobes in the brain. These areas are responsible for speech and language.
Studies conducted on both healthy adults and people with aphasia have shown that different areas of the brain are responsible for their word-finding difficulties.
In healthy adults, occasional failure to name a picture of a common object is associated with changes in activity in areas of the brain that control motor aspects of speech, suggesting a temporary pronunciation problem rather than a loss of word knowledge.
In primary progressive aphasia, areas of the brain responsible for processing the meanings of words show loss or atrophy of neurons and connections.
Treatments and Support
For aphasia, there are available treatments that involve speech-language pathologists training individuals in naming tasks using different types of cues to help retrieve words. Additionally, tablet and smartphone apps have shown promising results when used to complement treatment through home practice.
Unfortunately, there is currently no effective treatment for primary progressive aphasia. However, some studies suggest that speech therapy can lead to temporary benefits.
If you are concerned about difficulties finding words or experiences of you or a loved one, it is recommended to consult a GP for a referral to a clinical neuropsychologist or speech pathologist.
Source: Medical Express
