language - LIFG Flashcards
what is the Left Inferior Frontal Gyrus?
Contains Brocas area ~ is crucial for language processing, particularly speech production
is the LIFG more active in high selection (hard) or low selection words?
High selection words. more active in competitive conditions where you think of lots of words that associate with a word
Why are high selection conditions harder?
In the high-selection condition, generating the action word is harder because there are several possible alternatives and the process is less automatic
When Ps had to say what a bowl or tray was, which was harder?
competitive word understanding bowl = 50/50 of meaning action or object - bowling vs dish if you activate in context less activation in both meanings
tray less ambiguous
does the LIFG respond more to ambiguous or non-ambiguous words?
ambigious words = more activation in these areas
do verbs or nouns get more brain activity?
VERBS ARE MORE COMPLEX - MORE ACTIVITY
when saying whether candle relates to flame vs bald or exist vs halo which one more activity?
first
What do hubs, convergence zones, or control regions do in the brain?
They receive features from neighboring areas and carry out semantic processing in various contexts.
What is true about the processing routes of ATL areas?
Both processing routes are close to one another on the loop.
What brain regions are activated during sentence comprehension?
the Left Inferior Frontal Gyrus (LIFG) and the posterior temporal gyrus are involved, similar to semantic processing.
what is key in sentence comprehension?
Selection of relevant features in context of other words is involved in sentence comprehension
Modern view of language processing?
Language is distributed; Broca’s area (LIFG) helps with syntax & working memory, while posterior temporal regions process meaning.
Why does sentence comprehension activate Broca’s area (LIFG)?
LIFG is involved in syntactic processing and working memory, helping analyze sentence structure.
Role of posterior temporal gyrus in comprehension?
Processes word meaning and integrates words into sentences for understanding.
Why are both LIFG and posterior temporal regions involved in comprehension?
Comprehension requires both syntax (LIFG) and semantics (posterior temporal regions).
What does sentence comprehension activate in the brain?
A network of areas, including the LIFG (syntax, working memory) and PMTG (semantic processing, meaning integration).
How do neuroimaging studies support the involvement of multiple areas in comprehension?
fMRI scans show simultaneous activation of LIFG and PMTG during sentence comprehension.
What pathways are more involved in speech production?
The dorsal pathways, which connect frontal and motor-related regions for speech planning and articulation.
What were the two tasks in the sentence processing study?
Production task (completing a sentence) and comprehension task (reading & answering questions).
What was the difference between easy and hard conditions in the production task?
Easy: “the movie that the director …” (simpler structure)
Hard: “the director that the movie …” (more complex structure)
What was the difference between easy and hard conditions in the comprehension task?
Easy: “the movie that the director watched was good”
Hard: “the director that the movie impressed was good” (more complex structure)
Why were easy and hard conditions compared?
To see which brain regions worked harder in sentence production vs. comprehension.
What did participants do in the production task?
They were given a visual prompt (phrase) and had to complete it into a full sentence.
What did participants do in the comprehension task?
They simply read sentences and later answered comprehension questions.
Which brain regions were more active in sentence production?
LIFG (Broca’s area) & dorsal pathways, which are involved in syntactic planning and motor aspects of speech.
Which brain regions were more active in sentence comprehension?
LIFG (for syntax processing) & posterior middle temporal gyrus (PMTG) (for meaning integration).
Telegraphic speech
simplified formation of sentences, function words are omitted. Common errors are errors in tense, number and gender.
Agrammatism
a tendency to form sentences without the correct inflectional structure as a result of brain damage, as in Broca’s aphasia. cant describe action very well
LIFG aphasia - horse example
struggle when noun is a confusing place - the girl was chased by the horse
symptoms of LIFG aphasia
They hear the words but struggle to relate them in specific ways and combine them in a meaningufl way since this requires brocas area.
problem with words and verb retrieval
most difficult sentence for LIFG aphasia
Semantic knowledge may help interpretation, so the most difficult cases are those where interpretation cannot be inferred from word order or general world knowledge (reversible sentences)
}The football was kicked out by the referee - THIS SENTENCE IS ONLY ONE WAY
}The leopard was killed by the lion - THERES TWO OPTIONS HARDER
LIFG in deaf people
Auditory cortex activity is seen in sign comprehension and production
But LIFG’s role resembles hearing individuals
how do deaf people use auidtory cortex?
deaf individuals are using the auditory cortex and visual to interpret sign language
was auditory cortex activated for non meanigful sign
no - this only when its meanigful when the signs were not meanigful
what does the visual cortex do when braille reading
“Visual” cortex is active in Braille reading, along with fusiform gyrus (WFA) but it varies with development
plasticity is a function of
age
listening ni the blind
Listening to words ALSO activate posterior “visual” areas, despite an intact auditory cortex
How does re-organization of the brain vary with developmental stage?
Re-organization varies depending on developmental stage, but generally, the brain adapts to different sensory and motor experiences.
How is word sound associated with word forms in congenitally blind people?
In congenitally blind people, there are associations of word sounds to word (tactile) forms in occipital areas, similar to sighted people.
Does the re-organization of the language network occur completely in congenitally blind individuals?
No, the re-organization of the language network is not entirely complete. Left-lateralization of language processing remains.
What role does the Left Inferior Frontal Gyrus (LIFG) play in language processing?
The LIFG plays a similar role in language processing across different populations. Damage to the LIFG leads to similar language production and comprehension problems.
Where do network changes occur as a result of sensory experience in the brain?
Network changes resulting from sensory experience are more posterior in the brain, while the basic skeleton of the dorsal and ventral pathways remains intact.
What is the role of genes and experience in brain reorganization?
The interplay of genes and experience influences how the brain reorganizes and adapts to different sensory and motor experiences.
How does language processing differ in signers and the blind?
In signers and the blind, language processing involves sensory and motor regions adapted to their specific sensory experiences, such as tactile processing for the blind and visual processing for signers.
