New study highlights U.S. public support for eco-social policies over economic growth

Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona

A new study highlights growing public support in the United States for eco-social policies designed to address the interconnected ecological and social crises of our time. The research, led by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) and the London School of Economics (LSE), evaluated public support for four key innovative eco-social proposals: reducing working hours (as low as 28 hours per week), downscaling fossil fuel production, providing universal basic services, and limiting advertising for high-emission goods.

The study, published in the journal Ecological Economics, also examined how individual consumption-reduction or “sufficiency” behaviours — such as adopting plant-based diets, avoiding flights, walking, or prioritising sustainable transport like cycling — influence support for these policies. Additionally, it explored the impact of framing these proposals within a broader agenda of societal transformation (e.g., degrowth, although without using the term).

Among the most notable findings, the study reveals that, on average, participants preferred these eco-social policies over existing ones. Annual caps on fossil fuel extraction and the provision of universal healthcare were particularly well-received. Furthermore, individuals who were more engaged in sufficiency behaviours were more likely to support ecological policies, showing stronger support for fossil fuel restrictions, whilst support for socially oriented measures, such as reduced working hours and universal healthcare, was less pervasive and depended on other factors.

The analysis suggests that support for these social policies might be higher among individuals with eco-social values and higher levels of privilege, including full-time employment, higher education, and higher income. However, framing the policies within an eco-socialist and post-growth narrative not only failed to diminish support but, in some cases, increased it, as with universal healthcare.

Policymakers continue to ignore increasing calls for dismantling the fossil fuel industry from scientists and civil society organisations, and instead are in favour of supporting ‘green growth.’

These findings suggest that the U.S. electorate is open to policy agendas that reduce dependence on fossil fuels (e.g., through limits) while improving citizens’ quality of life. Notable examples include universal healthcare as a human right, accessible to everyone, regardless of employment or socioeconomic status, and reduced working hours as a tool for promoting well-being.

These agendas move beyond growth-based objectives to achieve eco-social goals. The study’s authors suggest that transition plans for polluting industries could hold broad appeal. “Eco-social policy agendas can protect workers and support them in seeking new jobs that benefit society without harming the planet,” says Dallas O’Dell, a researcher at ICTA-UAB and first author of the study.

However, the study cautions that when promoting individual sufficiency behaviours, it is essential to consider citizens’ privilege levels, as these could influence support for broader social policies. “Encouraging reduced individual consumption among those with less privilege could lead to rejection of broader policies, particularly those of a social nature,” O’Dell adds.

This study paves the way for new communication and mobilisation strategies for a more equitable and inclusive socio-economic transition that enhances well-being and reduces dependence on economic growth. The authors emphasise the need for further research to adapt and communicate these policies effectively, inspiring an eco-social movement that resonates with audiences across all socioeconomic statuses.

Election results: A contradiction?

According to researcher Dallas O'Dell, the study's findings may seem contradictory in light of the recent election results, which handed victory to Donald Trump. However, it should be noted that the polls were conducted in September 2022, a period when Trump's campaign was less active, "so respondents were able to reflect and consider the policies discussed in a less politicised context".

O'Dell notes that neither Republicans nor Democrats focused their campaigns on concrete policy proposals. Trump focused on ideological narratives (such as opposition to immigration) with general ideas and proposals to combat them (such as mass deportations), while Kamala Harris focused on reasons not to vote for Trump, offering few alternatives to change the status quo. Neither campaign focused on specific policy instruments, especially those that would affect the well-being of ordinary people or the planet. “The eco-social proposals analysed in the study were not on the electoral agenda,” says O'Dell. As a result, voters' judgements may have focused more on the charisma, skills and rhetorical abilities of the candidates and less on specific policy issues such as those assessed in the study.

Voting for one candidate or another would not be directly related to support or lack of support for policies, and the direction of voters' votes may even have been against their beliefs on policy issues," she says. This would be evidenced by the fact that Trump won almost 50% of the vote from voters aged 18-29 (compared to 30% in 2020). Many voters in this age group appeared to diverge from Trump on a number of issues, being more concerned about the economy and climate change (than immigration) and wanting more government intervention in healthcare and student debt. These views would be much more compatible with support for the kind of eco-social policies discussed here, which aim to improve living conditions and reduce inequality. 

---

Journal

Ecological Economics

DOI

10.1016/j.ecolecon.2024.108446 

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Public support for degrowth policies and sufficiency behaviours in the United States: A discrete choice experiment

Article Publication Date

10-Jan-2025

 

Climate fee on food could effectively cut greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture while ensuring a social balance

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)

Agriculture accounts for 8 percent of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Germany. “However, emissions within this sector, could be reduced by 22.5 percent or over 15 million tonnes of GHG annually, if the social cost of carbon were reflected in food prices,” says Julian Schaper, guest scientist at PIK and lead author of the study published in the journal Food Policy. In the Federal Climate Change Act passed in 2019, the government set itself the goal of reducing annual emissions from the current 62 million tonnes to 56 Mt GHG by 2030.

The social cost of carbon is an estimate of the economic damages that would result from emitting one additional tonne of carbon into the atmosphere in the future. Emission-intensive products such as meat and dairy would be most affected by such a climate fee of around 200 euros per tonne GHG, while prices for more sustainable products would rise less: Yoghurt and milk would increase by about 25 cents per kilogram, while beef prices could rise by over 4 euros/kg.

Using a demand model that provides a detailed and representative picture of how German households respond to price changes, the researchers assessed the effects of GHG pricing on consumption and associated emissions. “Households would tend to buy more food that is less carbon-intensive on average, such as vegetables. A climate fee would not only directly benefit climate protection, but could also encourage sustainable consumption,” explains PIK scientist Max Franks, author of the study.

In the researchers' model, the 8.2 billion euros generated by the climate fee are returned to consumers as a climate dividend, providing substantial relief to lower-income households, while wealthier households would bear slightly higher costs. "This form of redistribution helps to create a social balance that can promote the acceptance of such measures," Franks continues.

The authors of the study also see significant potential for broad public acceptance in the combination of a climate fee and dividend. It is crucial to clearly communicate that the measures effectively reduce emissions, that all revenues are returned to the public and that lower-income households are specifically supported.

 

Article:

Julian Schaper, Max Franks, Nicolas Koch, Charlotte Plinke, Michael Sureth (2025): On the emission and distributional effects of a CO2eq-tax on agricultural goods - The case of Germany. Food Policy. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102794]

---

Journal

Food Policy

DOI

10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102794 

Method of Research

Computational simulation/modeling

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

On the emission and distributional effects of a CO2eq-tax on agricultural goods - The case of Germany.

Article Publication Date

10-Jan-2025

 PHYSICS OF PIZZA STONE (OVEN)

Breakthrough study reveals the secrets behind cordierite’s anomalous thermal expansion

Queen Mary University of London researchers uncover new insights into a high-performance material

Queen Mary University of London

 

image: 

Crystal structure of cordierite

view more 

Credit: M. Dove et. al./Matter

Cordierite, a remarkable mineral familiar to many as the material behind heat-resistant pizza stones, exhibits an unusual ability to resist changes in size despite significant temperature fluctuations. While widely used in diverse applications from automotive catalytic converters to high-temperature industrial processes, the fundamental reasons behind this anomalous thermal behaviour have remained largely unexplained. A new study, led by researchers at Queen Mary University of London and published in Matter, now provides the first comprehensive explanation, with profound implications for the design and development of advanced materials. 

"Modern society demands materials that exhibit minimal dimensional changes with temperature fluctuations, unlike most materials that expand and contract significantly," explained Professor Martin Dove, lead researcher and Professor of Condensed Matter and Materials at Queen Mary University of London. "Examples of such materials include Pyrex, used for oven-safe dishes, and the glass-ceramic employed in cooking hobs." 

Unlike most materials, cordierite displays an unusual combination of thermal expansions: low positive expansion along two perpendicular axes and negative expansion along the third. This unique behaviour has made cordierite invaluable in applications requiring exceptional thermal stability. However, the precise mechanisms underlying these properties have remained enigmatic. 

To address this, the research team employed advanced lattice dynamics and molecular dynamics simulations, utilizing transferable force fields to model the atomic structure of cordierite under varying thermal conditions. The simulations accurately reproduced experimental data, providing insights into the mineral's behaviour at both low and high temperatures. 

"Our research demonstrates that the anomalous thermal expansion of cordierite originates from a surprising interplay between atomic vibrations and elasticity," stated Professor Dove. 

At lower temperatures, the researchers observed that lower-frequency vibrations favour negative thermal expansion (NTE) along all three axes. At higher temperatures, higher-frequency vibrations dominate, leading to the more typical positive expansion. Crucially, these contributions are counterbalanced by the material's elastic properties, which act like a three-dimensional hinge, effectively cancelling out many of the thermal effects. 

"This cancellation mechanism explains why cordierite exhibits small positive expansion in two directions and small negative expansion in the third. It is an unexpected outcome that challenges conventional understanding in this field," added Professor Dove. 

These findings open new avenues for the discovery and design of materials with tailored thermal properties. The methodology developed in this study, combining simulations of atomic vibrations with elasticity models, can be directly applied to other anisotropic materials, offering a cost-effective approach for screening potential candidates for specific applications. 

"Anisotropic materials like cordierite hold immense potential for developing high-performance materials with unique thermal behaviours," stated Professor Dove. "Our approach can rapidly predict these properties, significantly reducing the reliance on expensive and time-consuming experimental procedures." 

The study also underscores the importance of challenging established assumptions. "Initially, I was sceptical of the results," confessed Professor Dove. "The initial data suggested uniform expansion behaviour at both high and low temperatures, but the final results revealed a delicate balance of forces. It was a moment of scientific serendipity." 

Cordierite belongs to a family of silicate minerals with promising thermal properties. Understanding its behaviour paves the way for innovations in various fields, including automotive engineering, electronics, and materials utilised in extreme environments. The study also contributes to the growing body of research on negative thermal expansion in anisotropic systems – an area that has historically been under-explored. 

This research marks a significant advancement in the study of anisotropic materials and their thermal behaviours. With the established methodology, the team plans to investigate other silicate minerals and extend their findings to synthetic materials. "The possibilities are vast," stated Professor Dove. "This work provides a roadmap for uncovering new materials that could revolutionise industries reliant on thermal stability." 

ENDS  

This press release is based on an article ' Anomalous thermal expansion of cordierite, Mg2Al4Si5O18, understood through lattice simulations', published in Matter.   
DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2024.101943 
URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2024.101943  

For more information on this release, to receive a copy of the paper or to speak with Professor Martin Dove, please contact Ilyana Zolotareva at Queen Mary University of London at i.zolotareva@qmul.ac.uk.  

 

About Queen Mary University of London    

At Queen Mary University of London, we believe that a diversity of ideas helps us achieve the previously unthinkable. Throughout our history, we’ve fostered social justice and improved lives through academic excellence. And we continue to live and breathe this spirit today, not because it’s simply ‘the right thing to do’ but for what it helps us achieve and the intellectual brilliance it delivers. 

Our reformer heritage informs our conviction that great ideas can and should come from anywhere. It’s an approach that has brought results across the globe, from the communities of east London to the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. We continue to embrace diversity of thought and opinion in everything we do, in the belief that when views collide, disciplines interact, and perspectives intersect, truly original thought takes form. 

Visit qmul.ac.uk to find out more. 

---

Journal

Matter

DOI

10.1016/j.matt.2024.101943 

Article Title

Breakthrough study reveals the secrets behind cordierite’s anomalous thermal expansion

Article Publication Date

10-Jan-2025

 

Male Patient-reported influence of sociopolitical issues on post-Dobbs vasectomy decisions

JAMA Network

About The Study: 

Nearly one-third of survey participants indicated sociopolitical issues influenced their vasectomy decision, despite the fact these policies have targeted female reproductive policy. These patient-reported motivations are consistent with recent research using administrative data that found a rise in vasectomy procedure volume after the Dobbs decision. 

Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Kathleen Hwang, MD, email kathleen.hwang@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.54430)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

#  #  #

Embed this link to provide your readers free access to the full-text article This link will be live at the embargo time

 http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.54430?utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=011025

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is an online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. On weekdays, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication. 

---

Journal

JAMA Network Open

 

Study reveals cost differences between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare patients in cancer drugs

Medicare Advantage insurance may lead to lower use of high-cost cancer drugs, particularly for colorectal cancer

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

A new study examining the use of high-cost drugs among patients with colorectal cancer and non-small cell lung cancer found those insured through Medicare Advantage received less expensive cancer drugs compared to others on Traditional Medicare.

The findings were published today in JAMA Health Forum.

"Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and colorectal cancer ranks third. Gaining a better understanding of treatment options and their costs under different insurance plans is important for assessing the overall healthcare landscape and how insurances manage patient costs,” said the study’s first author Cathy Bradley, PhD, Dean of the Colorado School of Public Health.

The study found Medicare Advantage patients received less expensive cancer drugs, particularly for colorectal cancer, when compared to Traditional Medicare.

But this was not the case for non-small cell lung cancer. The researchers found there are less low-cost treatment alternatives available, resulting in high-cost drugs regardless of insurance.

“We are among the first to explore how cancer treatments differ for patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage compared to Traditional Medicare, which is crucial given that millions of Americans rely on one of these Medicare plans for their insurance,” said Bradley, who is also the Deputy Director of the University of Colorado Cancer Center located on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

The findings, she said, suggest that Medicare Advantage plans, with their cost containment strategies may result in lower treatment costs. At the same time, it could also result in reduced access to certain cancer treatments. The pattern wasn’t as clear for non-small cell lung cancer due to high-cost drugs seen as necessary for survival regardless of insurance type.

The researchers used a retrospective cohort from the linked Colorado All Payer Claims Database (APCD) and Colorado Central Cancer Registry (CCCR) to compare the use of cancer-directed drugs between Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare patients diagnosed with either cancer.

They focused on adults aged 65 years and older diagnosed with colorectal or non-small cell lung cancer and analyzed the records of nearly 4,000 patients.

They then estimated the likelihood that patients would receive either any cancer drug or a high-cost cancer drug. They adjusted for factors like patient characteristics (e.g., age, health status) and ecological characteristics (e.g., geographical location, market factors) to make sure the comparison between groups was fair and accounted for these influences.

The research showed patients with local or regional colorectal cancer who were insured by Medicare Advantage were six percentage points less likely to receive a cancer drug compared to similar patients insured by Traditional Medicare. This means that Medicare Advantage patients were less likely to be treated with a cancer drug. Patients who did not receive a cancer drug may have had surgery alone or opted for palliative care.

Patients with distant non-small cell lung cancer who were insured by Medicare Advantage were 10 percentage points less likely to receive a cancer drug compared to those insured by Traditional Medicare.

The research showed among patients who did receive a cancer drug, those insured by Medicare Advantage were less likely to receive high-cost drugs for colorectal cancer, specifically:

• 10 percentage points less likely for local or regional colorectal cancer
• Nine percentage points less likely for distant colorectal cancer

However, for non-small cell lung cancer, the study notes that few low-cost treatment options exist, so even though Medicare Advantage patients were less likely to receive a cancer drug, when cancer drugs were prescribed, they were as likely to be a high-cost therapy.

“We hope this research can help determine whether the cost-control strategies used in Medicare Advantage effectively reduce the use of high-cost drugs,” said Bradley. “The policy significance is Medicare Advantage appears to control cost of drug prescribing but only to a modest extent. Future studies are needed to determine if health outcomes are similar between the two plans. For more extensive cost controls, lower drug prices are needed.”

The researchers plan to extend this study, look at other databases and compare the differences between cities and rural areas.

About the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is a world-class medical destination at the forefront of transformative science, medicine, education and patient care. The campus encompasses the University of Colorado health professional schools, more than 60 centers and institutes and two nationally ranked independent hospitals - UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital and Children's Hospital Colorado – which see more than two adult and pediatric patient visits yearly. Innovative, interconnected and highly collaborative, the CU Anschutz Medical Campus delivers life-changing treatments, patient care and professional training and conducts world-renowned research fueled by $910 million in annual research funding, including $757 million in sponsored awards and $153 million in philanthropic gifts. 

---

Journal

JAMA Health Forum

DOI

10.1001/jamahealthforum.2024.4868 

Article Title

High-Cost Cancer Drug Use in Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare

Medicare rules may reduce prescription steering

Weill Cornell Medicine

Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have found that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)—organizations that negotiate access to medicines for most patients in the United States—steer patients to use their own pharmacies. However, these pharmacies appear less used in Medicare than in other market segments. These PBMs are part of integrated health care conglomerates that own insurance companies and pharmacies, which may create conflicts of interest.

The study, published Jan. 10 in JAMA Health Forum, found that in 2021 a third of all Medicare Part D pharmacy spending and almost 40% of specialty drug spending within Medicare Part D was through pharmacies owned by the four largest PBMs: CVS, UnitedHealth Group, Cigna or Humana. However, this represents a far lower market share in Medicare than the nearly two-thirds national market share noted by a Federal Trade Commission’s 2024 report. The findings may help guide future policy decisions on how these entities are regulated.

"It is striking that, on average, these companies have significantly lower market share in Medicare than the national estimates suggest,” said the study’s lead author Dr. Pragya Kakani, an assistant professor of population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine. “For high-cost specialty drugs, these pharmacies have almost half the market share in Medicare which is still lower than that observed across all other payer segments nationally.”

Dr. Kakani believes one reason for the reduced market share of these pharmacies in Medicare could be due to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ “any willing pharmacy” rules that ensure patients have access to their prescriptions at any pharmacy willing to meet the conditions set by Medicare Part D.

“While we don’t test this directly, our work raises the possibility that these rules may be powerful in preventing PBM firms from getting huge market share," she said. Outside of Medicare Part D, insurers generally have more leeway to exclude certain pharmacies from their networks, meaning patients have fewer choices about where they can pick up their prescriptions.

“However, despite Medicare's ‘any willing pharmacy’ rules, insurers integrated with PBMs are still capable of steering a substantial portion of their Medicare Part D plan enrollees to their own pharmacies,” noted senior author on the study Dr. Amelia Bond, associate professor of population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine. This is especially true among some high-cost specialty drugs. On average, Medicare patients used their own PBM’s pharmacies at nearly 20 percent higher rates than what would be expected without steering.

For example, for pulmonary arterial hypertension, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and multiple sclerosis, PBM-owned pharmacies captured over 60% market share in Medicare. “Because there is a lot of variation by disease area in terms of the prevalence of these pharmacies, policymakers concerned about this issue should pay special attention to drug classes where these PBM-owned pharmacies are most used.”

The market power of PBM pharmacies and firms’ ability to steer patients to their own pharmacies may impact costs, access to independent pharmacies and patient experience. Thus, some states may consider expanding protections like “any willing pharmacy” in general commercial markets.  

"Steering can amplify the potential harms as well as possibly potential benefits of this type of integration, justifying further research in this area," Dr. Kakani said. Dr. Kakani, Dr. Bond, and their research team will continue examining some of these issues, focusing on the quality of care PBM-owned pharmacies provide, including access, timely filling of prescriptions, patient adherence to treatment plans and pricing.

---

Journal

JAMA Health Forum

Article Publication Date

10-Jan-2025

 

How many children use Tik Tok against the rules? Most, study finds

University of California - San Francisco

As the U.S. Supreme Court considers whether Congress can ban Tik Tok, new research highlights the health risks that top social media platforms pose to children. 

Most 11- and 12-year-olds use Tik Tok and other social media despite the platforms’ age restrictions, and many show signs of addiction to social media, a new UC San Francisco study found.

Tik Tok, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat require users to be at least 13 years old to have an account. But the study found that a majority of 11- and 12-years olds across the country have accounts on the platforms, and 6.3% have a social media account they hide from their parents.

The study includes data from a national sample of over 10,000 children between the ages of 11 and 15. It appears in the January issue of the journal Academic Pediatrics. 

On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments against Congress’ ban on Tik Tok, which is set to take effect Jan. 19th. The case centers on national security, but researchers encourage lawmakers to consider children’s welfare, as well.  

“Policymakers need to look at Tik Tok as a systemic social media issue and create effective measures that protect children online,” said Jason Nagata, MD, a pediatrician at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals and the lead author of the study. “Tik Tok is the most popular social media platform for children, yet kids reported having more than three different social media accounts, including Instagram and Snapchat.”  

In a previous study, Nagata found that problematic social media use amongst children included elements of addiction, such as the inability to stop despite trying, withdrawal, tolerance, conflict, and relapse.   

In the current study, 25% of children with social media accounts reported often thinking about social media apps, and 25% said they use the apps to forget about their problems; 17% tried to use social media less but couldn’t; and 11% said using social media too much had hurt their schoolwork. 

“Our study revealed a quarter of children reported elements of addiction while using social media, with some as young as eleven years old. The research shows underage social media use is linked with greater symptoms of depression, eating disorders, ADHD, and disruptive behaviors. When talking about social media usage and policies, we need to prioritize the health and safety of our children.” 

To address the negative impacts of screen time and social media on children, the American Academy of Pediatrics has created the Family Media Plan. The plan gives families and children the opportunity to choose how they want to schedule their time online and offline.  

“Every parent and family should have a family media plan to ensure children and adults stay safe online and develop a healthy relationship with screens and social media,” said Nagata, a father of two young children. 

“Parents can create strong relationships with their children by starting open conversations and modeling good behaviors,” he said. “This is something I try to do with my own children.” 

Authors: Jason M. Nagata, M.D., M.Sc., Zain Memon, Jonanne Talebloo, Karen Li, M.P.H., Patrick Low, B.A., Iris Y. Shao, Ph.D., M.P.H., Kyle T. Ganson, Ph.D., M.S.W., Alexander Testa, Ph.D., Jinbo He, Ph.D., Claire D. Brindis, Dr.P.H., Fiona C. Baker, Ph.D. 

Funding: J.M.N. was supported by the National Institutes of Health (K08HL159350 and R01MH135492) and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (2022056). 

Disclosures: The authors have no conflict to declare. 
 

About UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals are among the nation’s leading pediatric specialty hospitals, according to U.S. News & World Report  2024-25 rankings. Their expertise covers virtually all pediatric conditions, including cancer, heart disease, neurological disorders, pulmonology, diabetes and endocrinology, as well as the care of critically ill newborns. The two campuses in San Francisco and Oakland are known for basic and clinical research, and for translating research into interventions for treating and preventing pediatric disease. They are part of UCSF Health, whose adult hospital ranks among the top medical centers nationwide and serves as the teaching hospital for the University of California, San Francisco, a national leader in biomedical research and graduate-level health/sciences education. Visit https://www.ucsfhealth.org. 

###

Follow UCSF
ucsf.edu | Facebook.com/ucsf | YouTube.com/ucsf

---

Journal

Academic Pediatrics

 BRUCE WILLIS DISEASE

Scientists find out why aphasia patients lose the ability to talk about the past and future

National Research University Higher School of Economics

An international team of researchers, including scientists from the HSE Centre for Language and Brain, has identified the causes of impairments in expressing grammatical tense in people with aphasia. They discovered that individuals with speech disorders struggle with both forming the concept of time and selecting the correct verb tense. However, which of these processes proves more challenging depends on the speaker's language. The findings have been published in the journal Aphasiology.

Aphasia is a severe speech disorder, often resulting from a stroke, in which individuals lose the ability to speak coherently. In particular, this can manifest as incorrect use of verb tenses, making it difficult for patients to talk about past or future events, significantly complicating everyday communication.

To investigate the origins of these difficulties, researchers from universities in Russia, Greece, Italy, the US, and Norway conducted an experiment. They hypothesised that tense expression impairments could stem from two distinct processes: encoding and retrieval. During encoding, a speaker forms the concept of time (for example, whether an action occurred in the past, present, or future). During retrieval, they select the correct verb form to express that concept. To understand the impact of each process, the scientists carried out experiments with aphasia patients speaking four different languages: Greek, Russian, Italian, and English. These languages were chosen because they structure verb tenses differently, allowing the researchers to examine how language-specific features influence encoding and retrieval of tense in aphasia patients.

To aid in diagnosis, the researchers designed two sentence-completion tasks. The first task asked participants to fill in blanks in sentences, requiring both processes—encoding and retrieval. They had to complete the sentence according to the model, considering the change in the tense form of the verb. For example: ‘Yesterday, the gardener watered the flowers. Tomorrow, the gardener will... the flowers.’ The second tasks expected participants to complete sentences without changing the verb tense. They were given the phrase ‘to water the plants’ and heard the example sentence ‘The gardener is currently collecting mushrooms.’ Then they were then prompted to begin a sentence with ‘The gardener is currently...’ and complete it with the phrase ‘watering the plants’ in the correct form, resulting in ‘is watering the plants.’

By comparing the results from these tasks, the researchers could determine whether the primary difficulties arose during encoding or retrieval.

The study revealed that most participants experienced impairments in both encoding and retrieval, but the severity of these issues varied depending on the language and the individual. For instance, Russian- and English-speaking participants struggled more with the retrieval task, while Greek- and Italian-speaking participants faced challenges primarily during encoding. Interestingly, difficulties in expressing time were selective. Some patients had trouble referencing the past, while others struggled with the future. 

Olga Buivolova

‘These findings are crucial for understanding how aphasia patients lose the ability to express time differently, depending on the characteristics of their language,’ explained Olga Buivolova, Research Fellow at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain and one of the study’s authors. ‘We can now better evaluate which aspects of time pose the greatest challenges for patients and begin developing more tailored therapeutic approaches.’

As researchers note, the main conclusions of the study may also have practical implications for neurorehabilitation. Firstly, this experimental method can help identify the underlying causes of difficulties with using verb tenses. This means that speech therapists and neuropsychologists will be able to work more thoroughly and effectively with patients on speech recovery.

Secondly, the study helps to understand how differences between languages can affect the symptoms of aphasia. This is important for developing standardised tests and methods that consider the specifics of a speaker's native language, ultimately leading to more accurate and comprehensive diagnosis of patients with aphasia.

---

Journal

Aphasiology

DOI

10.1080/02687038.2024.2415927 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Teasing apart time reference-related encoding and retrieval deficits in aphasia: evidence from Greek, Russian, Italian and English