Lecture Two Flashcards
When Phinneas Gage experienced his accident, what remained true about his ability to use language?
his personality changed but he was still able to use proper language function.
Define APHASIA.
any language disruption caused by the brain.
Define BROCA’S APHASIA.
a motor/ receptive impairment that halts speech but doesn’t affect comprehension.
Define WERNICKE’S APHASIA.
a sensory impairment that doesn’t affect speech but impairs comprehension.
What is the Corpus collosum?
a bunch of neural fibres that connect & transfer information between brain hemispheres
What is meant by split brain patients?
as a last resort the corpus collosum is snipped
define DICHOTIC LISTENING
experimental task that involves listening to spoken words over headphones - different words in each side
What are 3 brain mapping techniques?
hemodynamic changes, fMRI, PET
Define HEMODYNAMIC CHANGES
changes in blood oxygen level & direction of blood flow
Define fMRI
functional magnetic resonance imaging, uses magnetic field to measure HDC
Define PET
positron emission topography, uses radioactive tracers to measure HDC
briefly explain double dissociation
neurophysical evidence of 2 independent mental processes, tests production & comprehension in which one is spared/ impaired
Define DECLARATIVE MEMORY
memory of facts & events
Define PROCEDURAL MEMORY
memory of actions
What are the 2 systems that organize language?
dorsal (how) stream & ventral (what) stream. dorsal carries complex lines of thinking compared to ventral. both systems interact with one another.
Which system does the Broca’s area control?
mouth & lips
Which system does Wernicke’s area control
comprehending language
briefly describe the ASL vs Pantomime study
brain organization of ASL look similar to sound based languages. areas of the brain that are activated are different, deaf-frontal, hearing-parietal.
What is paralinguistic use?
manipulation of sound for emphasis, clarification of meaning/ emotion
when tone is used PARALINGUISTICALLY, which hemisphere is activated?
right
when tone is used LINGUISTICALLY, which hemisphere is activated?
left
Define action potential.
electric pulse that travels down the axon resulting in release of neurotransmitter
define EEG
electroencephalograph, uses electrodes on scalp to measure PSP
define POSTSYNAPTIC POTENTIAL
temporary change in electric voltage of neurons, results from release of neurotransmitter
define MEG
magnetoencephalography , detects changes in magnetic fields caused by brains electrical activity
briefly describe event related potentials
change in electrical voltage over large number of neurons measured with EEG
What is N400?
waveform shows negative voltage that peaks around 400ms (retrieving words & meaning) NLD: bizzare actions, incorrect/correct options
What is P600?
waveform shows positive voltage that peaks around 600ms (processing syntactic structure) NLD: music ungrammaticalities
describe the relationship between understanding music & understanding language
both depend on honed skills in reproducing minute differences, both involve combining sounds/signs in new & complex ways
Define amusia
loss of capacity to make sense of music but not language
Define auditory verbal agnosia
pure word deafness, hear speech as meaningless garble but can speak, read & write no problem
