Retrieval of instrumental verbs in aphasia: an explorative study

Retrieval of instrumental verbs in two conditions in two Broca and two anomic patients was studied. The instrumental verbs were divided into two classes, viz. instrumental verbs that are related in name with the instrument (e.g. to saw-a saw) and those that are not related in name (e.g. to write-a pen). The actions had to be named (a) in isolation and (b) in a sentence. Two Broca and two anomic patients were examined on both subtests. Although the raw scores on the two subtests do not reveal large differences between the four aphasic subjects, distinguishing the two classes of instrumental verbs and performing an error analysis shows that a different deficit underlies the difficulties of Broca's and anomic aphasics.