Speech & Aphasia Flashcards
aphasia
the name given to a collection of language disorders caused by damage to the brain
amnesia
a partial or total loss of memory.
Broca’s area
44, 45
Language processing has been linked to Broca’s area
Wernicke’s area
one of the two parts of the cerebral cortex linked, since the late nineteenth century, to speech (the other is Broca’s area).
global aphasia
a type of language disorder caused by damage to the brain. It is a nonfluent aphasia with severe impairment of both expressive and receptive skills. Patients with global aphasia are unable to say or understand more than a few words and are unable to read or write.
The subspecialty of neurology concerned with the effects of structural brain disease or injury on behavior
Behavioral Neurology
The subspecialty of psychiatry with essentially the same interests as behavioral neurology (the two are now formally affiliated – BN & NP)
Neuropsychiatry
The branch of psychology devoted to the study of brain-behavior relationships (neuropsychologists are PhDs who conduct neuropsychological testing, not neuropsychiatric testing)
Neuropsychology
Mental Status Examination
Arousal and attention Memory Language Visuospatial function Mood and affect Complex cognition 1-30 point scale Abnormal
– level of consciousness, digit span, serial sevens
Arousal and attention
– orientation, 3 words at 5 minutes, remote events
Memory
fluency, comprehension, repetition, naming, reading, writing
Language
clock drawing, tests for hemineglect
Visuospatial function
– inquiries about feelings, observations of affect
Mood and affect
– executive function, similarities, proverbs, judgment, insight
Complex cognition
impaired recent memory, with deficient new learning
Amnesia
an acquired disorder of language
Aphasia
multiple coexisting neurobehavioral syndromes (e.g amnesia, aphasia, personality change)
Dementia
An acquired disorder of language caused by brain damage
Language is the capacity to communicate using verbal symbols
Definition of Aphasia
Thought and language are distinct – ________is the means by which thought is communicated
So, schizophrenia, often described as a thought disorder, is not a disorder of: _______
language
Mutism
DDx
- psychiatric disease
- severe aphasia
- anarthria or aphonia
dysarthria
a disorder of speech due to motor system involvement
99% of dextrals (right-handers) are _________ for language, and 67% of sinistrals (left-handers) are also__________ for language
left dominant
The great majority of people are ___________ for language
left dominant
Ambidextrous people may have_________ language dominance
mixed
The Aphasia Examination
Spontaneous speech Auditory comprehension Repetition – “No ifs, ands, or buts” Naming Reading Writing
Nonfluency is characterized by labored, effortful speech and
Spontaneous speech
Poor comprehension is defined by performing
Auditory comprehension
Language is most firmly associated with the perisylvian zone that includes:
Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas
characterized by nonfluent, effortful speech with relatively preserved auditory comprehension
Speech is telegraphic and agrammatic
Broca’s Aphasia
characterized by fluent, paraphasic speech with poor auditory comprehension
Speech may be very rapid, with “press of speech” or logorrhea
Wernicke’s Aphasia
form of aphasia involves damage to the arcuate fasciculus, a white matter tract connecting Wernicke’s and Broca’s areas
Many cases also have supramarginal gyrus damage
Repetition deficit is the salient feature
Conduction Aphasia
This is the most severe form of aphasia, and results from destruction of the entire perisylvian language zone
Patients have essentially no language function and right hemiplegia
Global Aphasia
