Research
Research projects in Language and Communication in Dementia research group.
Language & communication changes in and communication support for Deaf individuals with dementia

This on-going project investigates the effects of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) on language and communication in Deaf individuals with dementia. The aim of the research is to find ways to support the communication of the family members and staff with affected individuals.

Research group

Group members

  • Doctoral student Minna Rantapää, MA (University of  Helsinki)
  • Dr. Ira Virtanen (Tampere University).

Publications

  • Rantapää, M., Virtanen, I. & Pekkala, S. Formal caregivers’ perceptions on everyday interaction with Deaf people living with dementia.  Revision submitted to Clinical Gerontologist in July, 2022.
  • Rantapää, M., Virtanen, I. & Pekkala, S. (2021). Supporting interaction between formal caregivers and Deaf People with Dementia. Educational Gerontology, 47(8), 369–382. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2021.1988447
  • Rantapää, M., & Pekkala, S. (2014). Changes in communication of Deaf people with dementia: A thematic interview with a close family member. Dementia, 1-14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301214557183
  • Rantapää, M., & Pekkala, S. (2015). Muistisairauden vaikutukset viittomakieleen ja niiden arvioinnin haasteet. Teoksessa A-M. Korpijaakko-Huuhka, M. Lehtihalmes, & S. Pekkala (toim.), Aikuisten neurologisperäiset puheen, kielen ja viestinnän ongelmat (s. 131–140). Helsinki: Puheen ja kielen tutkimuksen yhdistyksen julkaisuja, 47.

Earlier research publications on the topic

  • Kangas-Lumme, J. & Pekkala, S. (2015). Alzheimerin tautia sairastavien viittomakielisten henkilöiden suoriutuminen objektien ja toimintojen nimeämistehtävissä. Pitkittäistutkimus. Teoksessa A-M. Korpijaakko-Huuhka, M. Lehtihalmes, & S. Pekkala (toim.), Aikuisten neurologisperäiset puheen, kielen ja viestinnän ongelmat (s. 72–80). Helsinki: Puheen ja kielen tutkimuksen yhdistyksen julkaisuja, 47.
  • Pekkala, S., Kangas, J., & Rainó, P. (2013). Ikääntyminen ja kielen attritio puhuttua sekä viitottua kieltä käyttävillä. Teoksessa K. Granlund & P. Rainó (toim.). Rapautuva kieli: kirjoituksia vähemmistökielten kulumisesta ja kadosta (s. 208–231). Helsinki: SKS.
Self-repair of people with dementia in group conversation

This on-going project investigates the number, duration and types of self-repairs as well as non-verbal gestures during self-repairs initiated by persons with dementia in a group conversation.

Research group

  • PI Seija Pekkala
  • This project is a conducted jointly with Prof. Minna Laakso’s (University of Helsinki) research project Intersubjective Understanding in Atypical Interaction.

Publications

Master’s thesis of Tuomo Kokko will be published on E-thesis.

Earlier research publication on the topic

  • Simula, M. & Pekkala, S. (2006). Tapaustutkimus: Keskivaikeaa Alzheimerin tautia sairastavan henkilön tekemät itsekorjaukset keskustelu- ja pelitilanteissa. Puhe ja kieli, 3, 171–184.
Changes of written language in Alzheimer’s disease

This on-going project investigates the effects of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) on written language. The focus of the research is to look at different vocabulary and linguistic changes that take place over 40 years of time in diary entries of an individual who later in life developed AD. 

Research group

Group members

  • Doctoral student Nelli Kirvesmäki, MA (University of Helsinki),
  • Prof. Tiina Onikki (University of Helsinki)
  • Prof. Minna Jaakola (University of Helsinki) 
  • graduate students of Logopedics and Finnish.

Publications

Seven Master’s theses have been published on E-thesis 
Naming and word finding difficulties in Alzheimer’s disease

Previous research has investigated the effects of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) on word finding and naming. It has looked at lexical retrieval in discourse and the verbal fluency tasks, as well as the qualitative changes that take place in the ability to name a target pictured objects in different stages of AD.

Research group

  • Seija Pekkala
  • Prof. Timo Erkinjuntti (Helsinki University Hospital; University of Helsinki)
  • Prof. Loraine K. Obler (The City University of New York (CUNY); Boston VA Hospital; Boston University)
  • Prof. Martin Albert (Boston VA Hospital; Boston University)    
  • Prof. Mira Goral (The City University of New York (CUNY); Boston VA Hospital; Boston University)
  • Prof. Rhoda Au (Boston University; Framingham Heart Study)
  • Dr. JungMoon Hyun (The City University of New York (CUNY))
  • Dr. Avron Spiro (Boston VA Hospital; Boston University)
  • Dr. Debra Wiener (Boston University)
  • other researchers at the Framingham Heart Study.

Publications

  • Pekkala, S., Wiener, D., Himali, J. J., Liu, Y., McKee, A., Auerbach, S., Seshadri, S., Wolf, P. A., & Au, R. (2013). Lexical retrieval in discourse: An early indicator of Alzheimer’s dementia. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 27(12), 905–921. doi: 10.3109/02699206.2013.815278
  • Pekkala, S., Goral, M., Hyun J. M., Obler, L. K., Erkinjuntti, T., & Albert, M. L. (2009). Verbal fluency in two contrasting languages. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 23, 431–445. doi: 10.1080/02699200902839800
  • Pekkala, S., Albert, M. L., Spiro, A. III, Erkinjuntti, T. (2008). Perseveration in Alzheimer’s Disease. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 25(2):109–114. doi: 10.1159/000112476
  • Pekkala, S. (2004). Semantic fluency in mild and moderate Alzheimer’s disease. University of Helsinki, Department of Phonetics, publication number 47. Doctoral dissertation.
  • Master’s thesis by Pihlajapiha Sanna-Mari, 2019: Alzheimerin tautia sairastavien henkilöiden tuottamat nimeämisvirheet ja korjausyritykset Bostonin nimentätestissä. University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychology and Logopedics. https://ethesis.helsinki.fi/en/