Is it normal to forget words while speaking? Understand – 10/01/2023 – Balance

We’ve all had that moment when, mid-sentence, we simply can’t find the word we want to use, even though we’re sure we know it.

Why does this universal problem happen? And when can difficulties remembering words indicate something serious?

We will all have occasional word finding difficulties, but if this occurs very frequently with a wide variety of words, names and numbers, it may be a sign of a neurological disorder.

The necessary steps to speak

Word production includes several processing steps, such as:

1. Identify the desired meaning;
2. Select the correct word from our “mental lexicon” (a mental dictionary of vocabulary);
3. Rescue your sound pattern;
4. Perform speech movements to articulate it.

At each of these stages, difficulties may arise in finding words.

When a healthy person cannot retrieve a word, language scientists speak of the “tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon.”

Someone frustrated trying to get a message across will try to give clues about the word they’re looking for: “You know, when you hit something right…get it right…it starts with M!”

This is relatively common and is an “error” that occurs mainly during sound pattern retrieval (step three).

What else can affect word search?

Word-finding difficulties occur at all stages of life, but more frequently as we age.

In the elderly, the phenomenon can cause frustration and anxiety before the possibility of developing dementia. But it’s not always a cause for concern.

One way to investigate the causes of word-finding difficulty is to ask people to monitor how often they forget and in what context it occurs.

Some studies have shown that certain types of words, such as names of people and places, concrete nouns (things like “dog” or “building”), and abstract nouns (concepts like “beauty” or “truth”), are more likely to be forgotten. , compared to verbs and adjectives.

Words used less frequently are also more likely to be missed.

This is thought to happen because less frequently used words have a weaker link between their meanings and their sound patterns.

Laboratory studies have also shown that the “tip of the tongue phenomenon” is more likely to occur under socially stressful conditions – for example, when people are told they are being tested, regardless of age.

Many report having had problems like this during job interviews.

When is it a problem?

Errors that are more frequent and involve a wider variety of words, names and numbers probably indicate more serious problems.

This condition is called “anomia” or “anomic aphasia” and may be associated with brain damage due to strokes, tumors, head injuries, or dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Recently, actor Bruce Willis’ family revealed that he was diagnosed with a degenerative disease known as primary progressive aphasia.

One of the first symptoms of this condition is difficulty finding words, rather than memory loss.

Primary progressive aphasia is typically associated with frontotemporal dementia or Alzheimer’s, although it can also be associated with other pathologies.

Anomic aphasia can arise due to problems that occur at different stages of speech production.

An evaluation by a clinical neuropsychologist or speech-language pathologist can help clarify which stage of processing is affected and how serious the problem may be.

For example, if a person cannot name a common object, such as a hammer, a clinical neuropsychologist will ask the person to describe what the object is for. The individual may then respond “it’s something you hit things with” or “it’s a tool.”

If unable to do so, the patient may be asked to gesture or imitate how the object is used.

It can also be given a clue, such as the first letter (m) or syllable (mar).

Most people with anomic aphasia benefit greatly from receiving tips, indicating that they have problems mainly in the later stages of speech and motor aspects.

But if they cannot describe or imitate the use of the object and the clues are not helpful, this probably indicates a real loss of knowledge and mastery of the meaning of the words.

This is usually a sign of a more serious problem, such as primary progressive aphasia.

Imaging studies in healthy adults and people with anomic aphasia have already shown that different areas of the brain are responsible for word-finding difficulties.

In healthy adults, the failures are related to changes in the activity of brain regions that control the motor aspects of speech – suggesting a spontaneous problem with articulation, rather than a loss in word knowledge.

On the other hand, in primary progressive aphasia, the brain regions that process the meaning of words show loss or atrophy of cells and nerve connections.

Although anomic aphasia is common after strokes in the left hemisphere of the brain, difficulties associated with finding words do not appear to be determined by specific areas.

There are treatments available for anomic aphasia.

Speech therapists can train the individual in naming tasks using different types of cues or instructions to help with word retrieval.

Clues can be features of objects and ideas, or sound features of words, or a combination of these.

Cell phone applications are also promising when used to complement therapy.

Successful treatment is associated with changes in the activity of brain regions known to support speech production.

Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for primary progressive aphasia, although some studies have suggested that speech therapy may provide temporary benefits.

This article was published on The Conversation and is reproduced here under a Creative Commons license. Click to see the original version.

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