Lecture 8: Writing Disorders

Question 1

Types of spelling

Answer 1

• written spelling
• oral spelling
• typing

Question 2

How do we spell?

Answer 2

• lexical process
• sublexical process

Question 3

Lexical process

Answer 3

Used to retrieve spelling of known words

Question 4

Sublexical process

Answer 4

Encodes the systematic relationship between phonemes and graphemes -> used to retrieve spelling for unfamiliar words

Question 5

Graphemic buffer

Answer 5

Convergence point for lexical and sublexical process

Question 6

Patient LAT with Alzheimer’s, where is the atrophy?

Answer 6

Temporo-parietal regions

Question 7

Patient LAT’s writing skills

Answer 7

• more errors for low frequency words
• good spelling of pseudo words and nonwords

Question 8

Conclusion of LAT

Answer 8

• damage to lexical process
• impairment in the orthographic output lexicon
• forgot the spelling of known words

Question 9

The cognitive processes of spelling - general

Answer 9

• starts by hearing words
• input: auditory analysis and speech processing
• semantics
• memory
• motor systems: writing, typing…

Question 10

The cognitive processes of spelling - specific

Answer 10

• central processes
• peripheral processs

Question 11

Central processes of spelling

Answer 11

• orthographic long-term memory O-LTM
• orthographic working memory O-WM (graphemic buffer)
• phonological-orthography conversion (POC)

Question 12

Peripheral processes of spelling

Answer 12

• allographic conversion/selection -> written spelling
• letter-name selection -> oral spelling
• graphic-motor planning -> typing

Question 13

Spelling a familiar word

Answer 13

Retrieving orthographic information from O-LTM

Question 14

Spelling an unfamiliar word

Answer 14

Generating plausible spellings for unknown words via POC

Question 15

Spelling a word

Answer 15

After O-LTM or POC, they are processed by limited-capacity O-WM

Question 16

Function of peripheral processes in spelling a word

Answer 16

Produce letters in specific modality and format and select shapes

Question 17

Phonological dysgraphia

Answer 17

Severe difficulties with spelling pseudo words

• caused by dysfunctional sublexical processes
• damage of perisylvian cortical regions

Question 18

Surface/lexical dysgraphia

Answer 18

Difficulties with spelling irregular words

• lesions in the left ventral occipito-temporal cortex and also left anterior temporal lobe and temporal-parietal cortex

Question 19

Deep dysgraphia

Answer 19

• inability to spell pseudo words -> phonological errors
• produce semantic and lexical substitution errors -> semantic errors

-damage to both lexical and the lexical processes
- large LH

Question 20

Peripheral dysgraphia

Answer 20

Oral spelling and typing relatively preserved but impairment in handwriting codes

Question 21

O-LTM impairment

Answer 21

More errors for low- relative to high-frequency words, word-level errors

Question 22

O-WM impairment

Answer 22

More errors on long relative words, letter-level errors

Question 23

If POC also damaged

Answer 23

Semantic errors in major difficulties. With spelling unfamiliar words and pseudo words

Question 24

Neural adaptation

Answer 24

When a neural population is repeatedly engaged, its response diminishes as repetitions increase