Jacquie Kurland

Jacquie Kurland

Associate Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Aphasia, neuroimaging, fMRI, treatment-Induced neuroplasticity

Location

Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Building

358 North Pleasant Street
Amherst, MA 01003
United States

#315

Despite recent evidence demonstrating treatment-induced neuroplasticity in chronic aphasia, questions remain regarding the influence of treatment variables on language recovery, the neural mechanisms supporting such recovery, and evidence of measurable, correlated improvements in quality of life (QoL). The long-range goal of our research is to better understand how treatment variables affect recovery in chronic aphasia, including the brain/behavior mechanisms supporting improved naming, and how such improvements impact QoL. Our current objective is: first, to determine whether intensive treatment for remediation of word-finding deficits is effective for persons with moderate-to-severe expressive aphasia, regardless of speech practice; second, to identify signature neural patterns of treatment-induced improvements in naming; and third, to characterize the relationship between improved language ability and factors known to correlate with improved QoL, such as confidence, social relationships, and independence. Our current study proposes a longitudinal case series approach to aphasia rehabilitation, focusing on the effect of one variable, implicit versus explicit treatment, on linguistic, neurophysiological, and psychosocial changes in chronic moderate-to-severe patients.

Personal Website: 

http://blogs.umass.edu/jacquie

Education

  • Postdoctoral fellowship, Center for Aphasia Research and Rehabilitation, Georgetown University, 2006-2007
  • Predoctoral fellowship, Harold Goodglass Aphasia Research Center, Boston University, 2003-2005
  • PhD, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2006
  • MS, University of New Mexico, 1999
  • BA, New Mexico State University, 1986

Key Publications

Kurland, J, Wilkins, AR, & Stokes, P (2014). iPractice: Piloting the effectiveness of a tablet-based home practice program in aphasia treatment. Seminars in Speech and Language, 35, 51-xx

Kurland, J, Reber, A, & Stokes, P (in press). Beyond picture naming: Norms and patient data for a verb generation task. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.

Kurland, J, Pulvermuller, F, Silva, N, Burke, K, & Andrianopoulos, M (2012). Constrained vs. Unconstrained Intensive Language Therapy in Two Individuals with Chronic, Moderate-to-Severe Aphasia and Apraxia of Speech: Behavioral and fMRI Outcomes. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 21, S65-S87.

Kurland, J (2011). The role that attention plays in language processing. Perspectives on Neurophysiology and Neurogenic Speech and Language Disorders, 21, 47-54.

Kurland, J, & Falcon, M (2011). Effects of cognate status and language of therapy during intensive semantic naming treatment in a case of severe non-fluent bilingual aphasia. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics, 25, 584-600.