Language and speech

Question 1

what is speech?

Answer 1

expression of a language

Question 2

what is language?

Answer 2

system of symbols that allos transmission of human culture

Question 3

true ro false: the brain is not wired for oral language?

Answer 3

False it s
we seem to be born with circuits prepared for oral language
-written language is learned and recycled some of the preexisting circuits= neural recycling hypothesis

Question 4

language depends on which specialized areas?

Answer 4

• association cortices
• temporal, parietal and frontal lobe
• “perisylvian language circuits”

Question 5

language is linked with 3 areas in the brain

Answer 5

• Linkage between sounds and their meanings: Left temporal and parietal cortices: aka auditory
• motor commands organizing production of meaningful speech: left frontal cortex
• Emotional content of speech: right hemisphere

Question 6

which areas are critical for language?

Answer 6

Left frontal and temporal association corteces

Question 7

Language functions are strongly lateralized to the….

Answer 7

left

Question 8

what is the primary function of cortical language centers

Answer 8

symbolic representation for communication

Question 9

what are phonetics?

Answer 9

set of unitary sounds we use to make symbols

Question 10

grammar

Answer 10

set of rules for use of symbol

Question 11

syntax:

Answer 11

ordering of symbols to create meaning

Question 12

semantics

Answer 12

associating symbols with meaning

Question 13

Prodody

Answer 13

providing emotional valence by varying intensity, pitch and rhythm

Question 14

what were the 2 hypothesis for langage acquisition in children?

Answer 14

• Skinner: language is learned through experience

- Chomsky: innate language faculty: universal grammar

Question 15

true or false: during the first year of life everyone is able to use any type of language aka we are able to distinguish a lot of phonemes

Answer 15

it is true

we start imitating sounds near 20 weeks and at 6 months we are able to say some phonetic prototypes

Question 16

when do we commit to one language and how?

Answer 16

after 1y neural commitment with the mother tongue= formation of speech motor patterns and we loose the universality that we had= categoric perception

Question 17

critical period for a second language

Answer 17

first 7 years

Question 18

what do speech motor patterns do?

Answer 18

they influence sounds, tempo and rhythm of a second language

Question 19

language acquisition depends on?

Answer 19

time and experience

Question 20

Where is language processed in the brain?

Answer 20

-ventroposterior region of the frontal lobe

Question 21

loss of ability to produce meaningful language was usually associated with damage to

Answer 21

frontal left hemisphere

was found thanks to broca

Question 22

what did wernicke found?

Answer 22

aphasic patients that could speak normally but what they said made 0 sense
-it is the left posterior and superior temporal lobe aka wernickes area

Question 23

what is the brocas area?

Answer 23

left posterior and inferior frontal lobe

Question 24

rule of thumb: language is processed at the … and the language comprehension is processes at the….

Answer 24

frontal and temporal

Question 25

what is brocas aphesia?

Answer 25

motor or expressive aphasia

-they understand but they have difficulty finding the right words: also applies to writing

Question 26

what is sensory aphasia?

Answer 26

they can’t say things that make sense and they can’t understand what people are saying

• they seem very fluent tho
• repetition is impared

Question 27

deficits in reading and writing

Answer 27

alexia: sensory: aka can’t read
agraphias: motor akak can’t write
dysarthria: can’t properly articulate the words

Question 28

how did they know that language was lateralized?

Answer 28

they did tests with people that had a severed corpus callosum

• when they used the left hemisphere they were able to say which obkect they had in the right hand
• when using the right hemisphere they were unable to say what was in their left hand

Question 29

true or false: in deaf individuals: sign language is located to similar cortical reas

Answer 29

true

language centers are specialized for symbolic representation and communication rather than hearing or speech

Question 30

true or false: language deficits are also observed after right hemisphere damage

Answer 30

true: best example: prosody aka no change in tone which shows that musicallity is to the right

Question 31

true or false: we understand language ans speak much better with the left hemisphere

Answer 31

true

Question 32

what is the wada test&

Answer 32

short acting anesthetic is injected into the patients left carotid artery, if the language is to the left, they won’t be able to speak
-only used before neurosurgery

Question 33

less invasive tests in language mapping

Answer 33

pet
fmri
transcranial magnetic stimulation

Question 34

true or false: language localization is variable from pateints to patients

Answer 34

true = perisylvian brain circuits

Question 35

true or falseL all aspects of language are organized accordingly to categories

Answer 35

false: some aspects of language are organized according to categories of meaning rather than individual words

Question 36

semantic categories depends on: features for concrete words depend on:

Answer 36

experience when learning word aka overlap between conceptual and perceptual systems= embodies semantics

Question 37

true or false: in deaf patients lesions to left hemisphere made 0 changes

Answer 37

false: it did lead to deficits in producing signs

damage to the right= deficits in the emotional tone of signing

Question 38

visual word form area in the left hemisphere is activated by

Answer 38

written language

Question 39

what is the cause of dyslexia?

Answer 39

reduced activation of VWFA

=difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds& learning how they relate to letters & words