Week 6 Flashcards
Encephalization Quotient (EQ)
The encephalization quotient (EQ) is a measure of relative brain size and is often used to convey how small or large a species brain is compared to that of other species of similar body size.
Cerebral Asymmetry
In human neuroanatomy, brain asymmetry can refer to at least two quite distinct findings:
Neuroanatomical differences between the left and right sides of the brain
Lateralized functional differences: lateralization of brain function
Who is Paul Broca
Paul Broca was among the first to offer compelling evidence for localization of function when he identified an area of the brain related to speech.
Broca (1865) famously reported that left
frontal damage was associated with
productive language deficits
Broca’s Aphasia - Left hemisphere language deficit
Narrative: Left to think but cant say it
Take note that the brain thinks about sentences and perceives speech as per neuro typical. Its just that the verbalization of this is effected.
- Only changes ability to speak verbally
- Posterior frontal lesion
- Disturbance of speech planning & production
- Results in agrammatic, impoverished speech
*Speech is slow, laborious, nonfluent
Difficulty forming complete sentences
Speech that lacks normal rhythm
Pausing excessively when trying to speak
Omission of pronouns, articles, and conjunctions when speaking 4
Mutism
Preserved ability to understand speech, to follow commands, and to read simple words
Difficulty writing 5
Impaired ability to read long passages, especially out loud
Wernicke’s Aphasia - Left hemisphere language deficit
- Temporal damage
- Posterior temporal lesion
- Disturbance of word sound patterns
- Results in poor auditory comprehension, but copious, fluent speech
- Speech is non-laboured.
- They don’t understand that they don’t make sense – Are unaware.
In general, patients with wernicke aphasia are not aware of their
deficits; in the long run they do become frustrated that others are not able to understand what they are saying. Sometimes, the patient may become aware of the errors in language if it is presented to them in an audio format.
Does damage to the right hemisphere
produce language deficits?
YES!
Language deficits associated with damage to the right
hemisphere (RHD) are subtler than those following LHD, thus were less likely to capture clinician’s attention.
However, damage to the right hemisphere (RHD) can also affect
language and communication, impacting daily function, social
interaction, and quality of life : at least 50% of RHD patients exhibit
a verbal communication deficit (Joanette & Goulet, 1994)
Language impairments following right hemisphere lesion are most
likely following right middle cerebral artery infarct (Tompkins et al.,
2001) (Blood clots in the brain) This can cause strokes
What are some RHD language deficits?
- Excessive
- Rambling
- Inappropriate
- Off colour
- Confabulatory (Making up stories)
- Irrelevant
- literal
- Sometimes bizarre(Gardner et al., 1975)
Difficulty in understanding sarcasm, jokes etc - they understand speech of the literal meaning
What is Pragmatics
Pragmatics is the study of how context contributes to meaning. The field of study evaluates how human language is utilized in social interactions, as well as the relationship between the interpreter and the interpreted. Linguists who specialize in pragmatics are called pragmaticians.
Pragmatics involves the context-appropriate social use of language
What is Discourse processing?
Discourse processing draws upon extensive cognitive processing, including manipulation of lexical semantic operations, organization and monitoring of information, and inferring implied meanings
Nonliteral language processing (RHD language deficits)
Myers (1978) reported that RHD patients missed nuances and
subtleties: they ignored context and could not fill in what was not
present in the words
Given this understanding Humor, metaphors, indirect requests etc is very difficult/not there
RHD patients often miss body language and facial expression cues
They may have a monotone voice/flat emotional responses
Prosody
rosody is the “melody of language” (Monrad-Krohn, 1947).
-encompasses alterations in pitch, stress and rhythm that allow us to
communicate meaning, for example, emotion, extralinguistically
Pell (1999) reported that patients with RHD are
less proficient in conveying emphasis to listeners as such patients exploit fewer than normal cues to communicate emphasis in their utterances
