Brain and Behavior Flashcards
2b – Brain and Behaviour
Key concepts
- Language development (don’t need to memorize the stages but be able to explain
the influences and why there is a critical period for language acquisition)
- The main brain regions associated with language function
- Main types of aphasia (describe the characteristics and the language circuit)
-Executive functioning (describe what it is and some of the common characteristics of
dysexecutive syndrome)
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what are the main brain regions associated with language function
- broca’s area
- wernicke’s area
(describe the language circuit)
sound information –> primary auditory cortex –> wernickes area –> (which determines word that was said) –> then is transmitted to Broca’s area –> forms motor plant to repeat word –> send info to motor cortex –> motor cortex implements anions to repeat word
NOTE: lesion to arcuate fasciculus –> difficulty repeating words
What happens in broca’s aphasia?
Characteristics:
- Non-fluent speech
- Impaired repetition
- Poor ability to produce syntactically correct sentences
- comprehension is intact (can understand)
What happens in wernicke’s aphasia?
- comprehension is not intact (cant understand)
- Fluent meaningless speech
- impairment in writing
- poor repetition
what is the difference between broca’s aphasia, wernicke’s aphasia, global aphasia ?
Broca’s Aphasia
- -> non fluent expression
- -> normal comprehension
Wernicke’s Aphasia
- -> fluent expression
- -> impaired comprehension
Global Aphasia
- -> non fluent expression
- -> impaired comprehension
Lesions to the dominant hemisphere can be caused by:
- Stroke
- Traumatic brain injury
- Progressive neurodegenerative conditions (e.g. Alzheimer’s, fronto-temporal dementias, Parkinson’s)
Transient aphasia can be associated with:
- TIA
- migraine
What is Dysexecutive Syndrome
- disruption of executive function and is closely related to frontal lobe damage
–> may be due to head trauma, tumours, degenerative diseases, and cerebrovascular disease etc.
- can cause various symptoms
- hypo/hyperactivity
- lack of drive / disinhibited
- reduced empathy / swearing
- memory / attention difficulties
- difficulty switching from task to task
What are the different stages of memory?
- input from senses into memory system –>
processing + combining received information –>
holding of that input in the memory system –>
recovering stored information from the memory system (remembering)
What are the 3 conceptual divisions in memory system?
- sensory
- working / short term memory
- long term memory
describe the model of memory
- information goes in
- sensory registers // some might go directly to long term memory (e.g traumatic exp)
- attention transferred to working memory –> then to long term memory
- retrieval causes long term memory BACK to working memory
Memory types
i.e long term memory can be divided into :
a)
b)
Memory types
i. e long term memory can be divided into :
a) declarative
b) non - declarative
Episodic memory involves:
Involves the
- medial temporal lobes
- -> hippocampus,
- -> entorhinal cortex,
- -> mammilary bodies
- -> parahippocampal cortex
note:
Memory systems:
Semantic - Knowledge
Procedural – how to do things
Working – short term
- in alzheimers’ episodic memory is often affected (esp in early alzheimers)
Left hemisphere: Mainly concerned with verbal / non verball information processing
Right hemisphere: Mainly concerned with verbal / non-verbal information
Left hemisphere: Mainly concerned with verbal information processing
Right hemisphere: Mainly concerned with non-verbal information
describe what is meant by serial position effect?
how would you link this to clinical consultations?
- memory has primary effect (you remember 1st words better)
- memory also has recency effect (you remember words towards the end)
- then you may also recall objects / names you are more interested in
CLINICAL IMPLICATION
- -> so give important information at beginning / end of consultation
- -> emphasise/ repeat informative
- -> chuck info into categories
NOTE: The probability of recalling a word is related to:
- Order in the list
- Personal salience of words
- Number of words
- Chunking or other encoding strategy
- Delay time
- Distraction
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what are phonemes?
what are morphemes?
phonemes = the smallest unit of speech sound in a language that can signal a difference in meaning
morphemes = smallest units of meaning in a language
critical period in language acquisition = up to around ___ y/o
exposure to language -up to 10 increases language acquisition
note: damage to these areas leads to:
a) orbitofrontal - impulsivity / disinhibition
b) medial - loss of spontaneity, initiation
c) lateral - in ability to formulate + carry out plans
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