Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40991791›Full record

ArticleNeuropsychology2026

Phonological networks remain intact in multiple sclerosis.

Allison Link, Amy L Lebkuecher, Abigail L Cosgrove, Nichol Castro, Nancy D Chiaravalloti, Lauren B Strober, Michele T Diaz

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Article in Neuropsychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Allison LinkDepartment of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University.
Amy L LebkuecherLaboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation, University of Pennsylvania.
Abigail L CosgroveDepartment of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University.
Nichol CastroDepartment of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, University at Buffalo.ORCID 0000-0001-8691-7968
Nancy D ChiaravallotiCenter for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research, Kessler Foundation.
Lauren B StroberCenter for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research, Kessler Foundation.
Michele T DiazDepartment of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University.ORCID 0000-0001-7263-1694

Funding

Neuroimaging of Age-Related Changes in LanguageR01AG034138 · NIA · PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE · PI DIAZ, MICHELE T · 2010 to 2021
$3.1M
Improving Learning in MS: A Randomized Clinical TrialR01HD045798 · NICHD · KESSLER MEDICAL REHAB RES &EDUC CORP · PI CHIARAVALLOTI, NANCY D. · 2004 to 2008
$2.1M
National Institutes of Health; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentNational Institutes of Health; National Institute on AgingNIA NIH HHS R01 AG034138NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD045798
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological condition characterized by white and gray matter decline that leads to slower motor function and cognitive impairment. Although language remains relatively intact, individuals with MS often have word retrieval difficulties. Previous research suggests that these difficulties may be related to vocabulary, the number of words an individual knows, and other semantic aspects of language. However, few studies have examined phonological aspects of speech.

methodWe examined speech in 89 individuals with MS and 88 age-matched neurotypical adults using a phonemic verbal fluency task. We took a network science approach, building a phonological network from participants' responses and their close phonological neighbors. We then examined the local network characteristics (degree, clustering coefficient) of participants' responses to assess whether responses differed between the groups.

resultsAlthough individuals with MS produced fewer responses during the task, the network characteristics of their responses were similar to neurotypical adults, the control group. Moreover, lexical characteristics such as word length and lexical frequency were also similar between groups (model

conclusionsOverall, these results suggest that phonological aspects of speech remain stable in individuals with MS. Word retrieval difficulties in MS may arise from neurological changes in semantic processes, in combination with other cognitive abilities such as speed of processing and executive function, which are common in MS. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Indexed as

Multiple SclerosisPhoneticsSpeechAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle Aged

Identifiers

PMID40991791
PMCPMC12462895

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.