Gestures and speech in referential communication by aphasic subjects: Channel use and efficiency

Twelve aphasic subjects were given a referential communication task. Channel use (oral or gestural) and efficiency (time to complete the task and intelligibility) were analysed in relation to the score obtained by the subject in a formal examination of ideomotor apraxia. Use of gestures was found to be negatively correlated with the severity apraxia score: more gestures were produced by the more apraxic subjects, who also suffered from more severe forms of aphasia. These messages were understood in a reasonable proportion of cases, so it is suggested that the spontaneous production of gestures can be used in therapy to establish efficient gestural communication.