Lesson 3: The Brain and Language

Question 1

neurons

Answer 1

cells that process information and send electrical impulses

Question 2

glia

Answer 2

cells that provide support and protection to the neurons

Question 3

cortex

Answer 3

outer layer of the brain

Question 4

corpus callosum

Answer 4

bundle of axons that connects the two hemispheres of the brain
allows the two hemispheres to communicate with each other

Question 5

contralateral control

Answer 5

input from one side of the body is sent to the opposite side of the brain

Question 6

Stimulus input from the left visual field is processed in the ____ hemisphere.

Answer 6

right

Question 7

____ is lateralized in the left hemisphere.

Answer 7

Language

Question 8

____ are lateralized in the right hemisphere.

Answer 8

Spatial/artistic abilities

Question 9

What are 3 pieces of evidence for left hemisphere control of language?

Answer 9

1. dichotic listening
2. split brain patients
3. Wada test

Question 10

True or False:
In dichotic listening tests, different sounds are played in both ears at the same time.
Subjects report hearing only one sound in the left ear.

Answer 10

False
Subjects report hearing only one sound in the right ear because it is processed in the left hemisphere.

Question 11

In split brain patient tests, the patient can/cannot ____ the object in the left visual field.

Answer 11

• cannot say
• can draw

Question 12

In split brain patient tests, the patient can/cannot ____ the object in the right visual field.

Answer 12

• can say
• cannot draw

Question 13

In the Wada test, one hemisphere of the brain is anesthesized.

True or False:
The patient cannot give a linguistic response to the object in the left hand when the left hemisphere is anesthesized.

Answer 13

True
Language is processed in the left hemisphere, so they cannot say what the object is.

Question 14

In the Wada test, one hemisphere of the brain is anesthesized.

True or False:
The patient cannot correctly identify a picture of the object in the left hand when the left hemisphere is anesthesized.

Answer 14

False
Language is processed in the left hemisphere, so they cannot say what the object is, but still know what it is.

Question 15

Wernicke’s area

Answer 15

center of speech comprehension

Question 16

Broca’s area

Answer 16

center of speech production

Question 17

aphasia

Answer 17

a disruption in language abilities due to brain injury

Question 18

Wernicke’s aphasia

Answer 18

• aka semantic aphasia
• speech is fluent, but doesn’t make sense
• problems with word choice
• comprehension is severely impaired

Question 19

Broca’s aphasia

Answer 19

• aka agrammatical aphasia
• broken and halted speech
• words make some sense, but structure is incorrect

Question 20

True or False:
Broca’s aphasics have nicer handwriting than Wernicke’s aphasics.

Answer 20

False

Question 21

True or False:
English and ASL are processed in different parts of the brain.

Answer 21

False
Both are processed in the same areas of the brain.

Question 22

True or False:
Language ability is correlated to intelligence.

Answer 22

False

Question 23

Specific Language Impairment (SLI)

Answer 23

• very specific types of difficulty with language (ex: omitting functional words or grammatical words)
• children have normal IQ and normal ability in other areas

Question 24

Williams Syndrome

Answer 24

• high language ability, low general intelligence
• high level of vocabulary and grammar, semantics slightly off
• average IQ score of 55 anf limited spatial and motor skills

Question 25

linguistic savants

Answer 25

• high language ability, low general intelligence
• extremely complex understanding of language
• cannot complete basic tasks or concepts

Question 26

Consider the following statement: “Joe can name items that are presented in his right visual field.”

Choose the statement below that best describes the facts about Joe.

A. The statement is true because an item presented to the right visual field will be processed first in the right hemisphere.
B. The statement is false because an item presented in the left visual field will be processed in the left hemisphere.
C. The statement is true because Joe’s corpus callosum has been severed.
D. The statement is true because an item in the right visual field will be processed in the left hemisphere.
E. The statement is false because an item presented to the left visual field in non-split-brain people is first processed in the right hemisphere.

Answer 26

D. The statement is true because an item in the right visual field will be processed in the left hemisphere.

Question 27

True or False:

Joe is presented with two items simultaneously – a car in the right visual field, and a dog in the left visual field.

When asked what he sees, he responds, “Dog.”

A. The statement is false because the items are presented simultaneously. Joe would name both items since they are in both visual fields.
B. The statement is false because the items are presented simultaneously. Joe couldn’t name either item since his corpus callosum is severed.
C. The statement is false because the item in the right visual field is processed in the left hemisphere.
D. The statement is true because the corpus collosum allows the stimulus in the left visual field stimulus to be processed first.
E. The statement is true because the items are presented simultaneously. The item in the left visual field is processed in the right hemisphere.

Answer 27

C. The statement is false because the item in the right visual field is processed in the left hemisphere.

Question 28

Why can/can’t Joe name items in his left visual field?

A. Given the contralateral nature of brain function, stimuli in the left visual field are processed in the right hemisphere. Therefore, he cannot name items in his left visual field.
B. Although his corpus callosum has been severed and his left and right hemispheres can’t communicate, his brain is still functions contralaterally. Therefore, he cannot be subconsciously aware of or name items in his left visual field.
C. Because of the contralateral organization of the brain, in split brain patients, information in the right hemisphere cannot reach left hemisphere, where language function is. Therefore, Joe can only name items in his left visual field.
D. In split brain patients the brain is not contralaterally organized. An item in the left visual field will be processed in the left hemisphere. Therefore, Joe will be able to name items in his left visual field.

Answer 28

A. Given the contralateral nature of brain function, stimuli in the left visual field are processed in the right hemisphere. Therefore, he cannot name items in his left visual field.

Question 29

Observe the utterances below, from patients with two distinct types of aphasia.

Patient A: “Cinderella…poor…um’dopted her…scrubbed floor, um, tidy…poor, um…’dopted…si-sisters and mother…ball. Ball, prince um, shoe…

Name the condition that this patient suffers from. Which part of the brain is typically affected?

Answer 29

Broca’s aphasia

Question 30

Justify your answer to the question above by explaining characteristics of this condition.

A. The speech is disfluent and the syntax is affected.
B. The speech makes sense.
C. The patient’s speech is fluent and the intended meaning is clear.
D. Both A and B
E. Both B and C
F. All of the above

Answer 30

D. Both A and B

Question 31

Jimmy is a student in the 3rd grade. He is the best player on his soccer team, and excels in his math and science classes. His favorite subject is Art, and he especially loves to draw horses and elephants.

In his art class, Jimmy has been overheard saying things like “Me got five crayon,” “Her like yellow,” and “You like picture?”

What do these facts suggest about Jimmy?

A. It is likely that he has William’s Syndrome. His visual/spatial cognition seems disrupted, he loves art, and he has grammar problems.
B. Jimmy probably has Broca’s Aphasia. His IQ seems to be in the typical range, but he has grammar problems, and he loves art.
C. Jimmy is probably fine. All children go through the same stages of linguistic development. This includes a stage where children overgeneralize.
D. The data suggest that Jimmy has a severed corpus collosum. He seems unable to process sentences correctly, has grammar problems, and excels in math and science.
E. He likely has Specific Language Impairment. His IQ seems to be in the typical range and his visual/spatial cognition seems to be intact, but he has grammar problems.

Answer 31

E. He likely has Specific Language Impairment. His IQ seems to be in the typical range and his visual/spatial cognition seems to be intact, but he has grammar problems.

Question 32

Does Jimmy’s story support the claim that there is no relationship between general intelligence and language ability?

A. Yes, because this case shows a strong correlation between general IQ, visual/spatial cognition, and language abilities.
B. No, because Jimmy has typical range intelligence and typical language abilities.
C. Yes, because Jimmy has typical range intelligence but impaired language abilities.
D. No, because this case shows a weak correlation between general IQ, visual/spatial cognition, and language abilities.
E. Yes, because Jimmy has typical spatial/visual abilities, but atypical language abilities.

Answer 32

C. Yes, because Jimmy has typical range intelligence but impaired language abilities.