Naming and Anomia

Abstract The production of spoken words involves complex processes devoted to the retrieval of conceptual and lexical representations, supported by specialized and interconnected neuroanatomical structures. Word production is influenced by psycholinguistic variables that operate at the various levels of these processes. Anomia, the difficulty in retrieving words in long-term memory, is common in normal aging. It is one of the most frequently occurring symptoms in pathological aging and neurological diseases. Anomia could result from a breakdown in any of the production levels. Thus, the identification of its functional origin is essential for the selection of the appropriate therapeutic goals in rehabilitation.