The lexical–semantic organization of the mental lexicon is bound to change across the lifespan. Nevertheless, the effects of lexical–semantic factors on word processing are usually based on studies enrolling young adult cohorts. The current study aims to investigate to what extent age‐specific semantic organization predicts performance in referential word production over the lifespan, from school‐age children to older adults. In Study 1, we conducted a free semantic association task with participants from six age‐groups (ranging from 10 to 80 years old) to compute measures that capture age‐specific properties of the mental lexicon across the lifespan. These measures relate to lifespan changes in the Available Richness of the mental lexicon and in the lexical–semantic Network Prototypicality of concrete words. In Study 2, we used the collected data to predict performance in a picture‐naming task on a new group of participants within the same age‐groups as for Study 1. The results show that age‐specific semantic Available Richness and Network Prototypicality affect word production speed while the semantic variables collected only in young adults do not. A richer and more prototypical semantic network across subjects from a given age‐group is associated with faster word production speed. The current results indicate that age‐specific semantic organization is crucial to predict lexical–semantic behaviors across the lifespan. Similarly, these results also provide cues to the understanding of the lexical–semantic properties of the mental lexicon and to lexical selection in referential tasks.

Digital treatments on tablet computers have become increasingly popular to deliver speech and language therapy. Practice guidelines have been proposed to successfully integrate non-aphasia-specific apps into rehabilitation, but few evidence-based reports are available yet. Three individuals with acquired language disorders trained at home with a mainstream app containing personalized material. The treatment plan was specific to each individual and supervised by a speech and language therapist. All three participants showed significant improvements in picture naming that were specific to the treated items and treatment gains were overall maintained after a couple of months. Treatments carefully designed and delivered in an app led to specific language improvements similar to those previously reported in the literature with or without technology. There is presently no proof that ready-to-go dedicated apps are more effective than this kind of mainstream app allowing the creation and adaptation of materials and tasks to evidence-based knowledge.