Thought, Language, and Communication Interplay in Persons with Aphasia and Neurotypical Individuals - A Preliminary study

Background: Stroke affects language, and language affects thoughts and the ability to communicate. Language has the primary function of enhancing communication, and enhancing thought as the secondary function. This explains the interlink between Thought, Language, and Communication (TLC), thus creating the need to explore TLC parameters in Persons with Aphasia (PWA) for a holistic perception of communication impairment. This study aimed to assess the TLC in PWA and to compare it with Neurotypical individuals (NTI). Method: A total of 10 participants (5 PWA and 5 NTI) were recruited for the present study. The conversational discourse samples on the neutral topic were collected and subjected to a perceptual 5-point rating based on domains of the Thought Language Communication Assessment Scale for Persons with Aphasia (TLCAS-PWA). Results and Discussion: The mean score was high in the communication domain, emphasizing that communication is affected among the domains of TLCAS - PWA. The comparison of TLC parameters between PWA and NTI was assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test, and the results showed a significant difference between PWA and NTI. The parameters of TLC exhibited by PWA were similar to Persons with Thought Disorder (PWTD), as there is an overlap of TLC. The parameters of TLC exhibited by PWA and PWTD were similar due to the linkage of TLC. Conclusion: PWAs should undergo TLC assessment in their routine clinical evaluation for a holistic perception of Communication impairment.