Exam #6: Cerebral Cortical Function

Question 1

What are the specialized functions of the left cerebral hemisphere?

Answer 1

Left= Language– called “Dominant”

- Also called the categorical hemisphere for sequential analytic processes

Question 2

What are the specialized functions of the right cerebral hemisphere?

Answer 2

Right= visuospatial relations–called “non-dominant”

Question 3

What is Broca’s aphasia?

Answer 3

“Expressive aphasia” /motor aphasia/ nonfluent aphasia

• Patient has limited speech but it is slow, labored, and nonessential words are ommitted
• Simple comprehension intact
• Patient is aware of difficulty and v. upset by it

Question 4

Lesions to what brain regions causes Broca’s Aphasia?

Answer 4

Brodmann 44 & 45

Question 5

What is Wernicke’s aphasia?

Answer 5

“Receptive aphasia” or sensory aphasia

• Patient cannot comprehend language
• Speak with “word salad”
• Less awareness compared to Broca’s aphasia

Question 6

Lesions to what area produces Wernicke’s aphasia?

Answer 6

Brodmann 22 in posterior temporal gyrus

Question 7

What is Conduction aphasia? What causes Conduction aphasia?

Answer 7

This is an aphasia caused by a disconnect between Wernicke’s & Broca’s areas

• Patient has limited comprehension intact
• Uses paraphasias
• Cannot repeat what was heard

Question 8

What is Global aphasia?

Answer 8

Most severe form of aphasia–patient cannot produce understandable speech or comprehend speech

Question 9

What is the difference between Alexia & Agraphia?

Answer 9

Alexia= can't read 
Agraphia= can't write

Question 10

What is neglect syndrome?

Answer 10

There are various kinds of neglect syndrome that are dependent on the exact location of the lesion. Personal neglect syndrome=

• Deficit in self-image on one side of body
• Patient’s won’t wash or dress affected side
• Patients deny arm or leg is part of his or her body

Question 11

What kind of lesion produces neglect syndrome?

Answer 11

Damage to the posterior parietal lobe in the non-dominant hemisphere

Question 12

What is asomatognosia?

Answer 12

Lack of awareness of the condition or part of the body

Question 13

What kind of lesion produces asomatognosia?

Answer 13

Damage to the posterior parietal lobe in the non-dominant hemisphere i.e. this is a feature of Neglect Syndrome

Question 14

What is asterognosis?

Answer 14

Inability to identify objects by feeling them

Question 15

What kind of lesion produces asterognosis?

Answer 15

Lesions to the somatosensory cortices in the parietal lobe

Question 16

What are the affective components of language?

Answer 16

Expressing and recognizing emotion in speech

Question 17

Which hemisphere is usually responsible for affective components of language?

Answer 17

Right hemisphere

**Note that defects result in “aprosodia” or loss of emotional expression/ understanding in speech

Question 18

Describe the presentation of prefrontal lobe syndrome.

Answer 18

Think Phineas Gage

1) Personality changes
2) Planning deficits
3) Perseveration
4) Release of primitive reflexes, which is also called, “Frontal Release Signs”
5) Lack of ambition
6) Akinetic mutism

Question 19

What is abulia?

Answer 19

Loss or impairment of the ability to perform voluntary actions & make decisions

Question 20

What is akinetic mutism?

Answer 20

Patient does not move or speak even though he or she is awake

Question 21

What is perseveration?

Answer 21

Tendency to continue with one form of behavior when the situation would require a new, changed response

*****E.g. a student may begin discussing a topic and then have difficulty moving on to a new topic. Or he may return repeatedly to certain favored topics or activities more frequently than would be expected of a person who simply is interested in that topic or activity.

Question 22

What are primitive reflexes?

Answer 22

1) Suckling reflex

2) grasp reflex

Question 23

What are frontal release signs?

Answer 23

This is when primitive reflexes return following damage to the prefrontal lobe.