Language - general info

Question 1

Primary areas

Answer 1

1. Auditory-verbal comprehension
2. Speech
3. Reading
4. Writing

Question 2

Human data

Answer 2

Most comes from patients who have sustained CVA:

• these lesions follow vascular distributions that cut across functional areas
• thus, a vascular lesion often will affect multiple language areas that mediate different functions
• this makes it difficult to precisely determine the unique contribution of separate areas

Question 3

PET/fMRI of normal verifies CVA data

Answer 3

that’s all

Question 4

Lateralization

Answer 4

1. > 95% of R hand dominant people are L hemisphere dominant for language
2. ~ 85% of ambidextrous people are L hemis dominant for speech
3. ~ 70% of L hand dominant people also are L hemis dominant for language
   - ~ 15% have R hemis dominance
   - ~ 15% have bilateral mediation
4. L hemis processes info in a sequential manner and speech is sequential
5. R hemis mediates prosody – expression and comprehension of emotional aspects of speech

Question 5

Aphasia

Answer 5

1. impairment of language
2. not due to simple motor or sensory deficits
3. not all speech impairment is due to aphasia