Lecture 10
Language Functioning
Left hemisphere: Language
Talking about language in greater detail
Within the left hemisphere, how are things organized
Language: most of information has historically been gathered from stroke victims, or victims of
war. Modern times: it is much easier with the newer technology that also provides us with
much more detail
Today: What most neuropsychologist is main function of language in the left hemisphere
Aphasia
Mild Aphasia
Sever Aphasia
Alexia: Problems in reading
Agraphia: Problems in writing
Exact clinical picture depends on severity of symptoms which depends on the size of the stroke
5 tumors: obviously would be worse than just 1
Problems vary significantly from patient to patient
Stroke/lesion/tumor might have been smaller or larger
3 Major Types of Aphasia
1. Receptive Aphasia:
Receiving information on language
Getting language in
Decoding
Hearing - majority of language is related to the audio portion
Speech was long there before writing
Vocal communication is more basic than reading and writing
Temporal Lobe - Primary receptive area for sound
Sensory Cortex
Pure Word Deafness: Problems in relating incoming sounds into representations which
allow for the understanding of discourse
When you hear a sound, does it mean anything to you?
Taking an incoming sounds and deciphering it into something that means something
These people can hear sounds, but cannot distinguish it as deafness Brain damage to primary receptive area in Temporal Lobe
Normal ability to read and write since information is coming in visually. Their problem is
breaking down sounds
They can also use speech
The other essential parts of language are still in tact
Listening to a voice, would be just noise. Think the problem could be with someone else
2. Integrative Aphasia
Problems with comprehension of language
Problems with formation of language
Really understanding what language means and the ability to form language
Processing things / cognitive decision
Nuts and bolts
Also decoded in Temporal Lobe, more specifically Wernicke's Area
Problems in selecting and arranging meaningful units and their eventual conversion
into comprehensible coherent, speech
I. Wernicke's Aphasia: Also referred to Jargon Aphasia
Person does not make any sense
People make unintelligible statements
They will chatter on and on without making any sense
The problem is not with the talking, but just saying anything really coherent. Saying ridiculous,
off topic things
Dangle a pen in front of them: long blabber. It is English with proper grammar and harmony
(tone) and sounds like it could be right (Professor-like speech)
Wernicke's Area is at the temporal lobe near the Central Sulcus: the actual understanding of
language happens here
Very severe: it may not actually sound like English at all anymore
Will not even be using English words in the most extreme case
General Effects:
Naming: Cannot do it well, but if not too severe it can be close (e.g. shown a comb they will say
hair) Partially right
Pointing: Respond very poorly to command
Orders: Use objects normally. NOT a motor cortex problem. They know what things are and
how to use them, but cannot name it
Repeat: Unable to do it, unless it is a short familiar quip (e.g. good morning)
Intellect: Generally down. No real comprehension of what they should be doing
Singing: Music is still in tact (since it is in the right hemisphere) though some extra words may
be added. Old songs (happy birthday)
Reading: Very little comprehension of any of the written material. Read aloud they can do it
quite well, but just do not understand it. Basic elements of language are gone, stuff is just coming out
Writing: They can write, but it will still be the crazy off topic stuff they would have said verbally
People themselves are not really upset. Like pets. They do not have language anymore, and
that's just the way it is
Humans are speech based organism - something essentially human is gone from person, but
the person themselves does NOT miss it
They cannot think in language either. No inner voice. All language is just gone
No emotional problems in relation to the missing of language
II. Nominal Aphasia: AKA Anomia
Can you name it?
Inability to name things
Angular Gyrus has damage: Area where the temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes come
together
Posterior dorsal portion of temporal lobe
All of us have instances of this, but a person with anomia has it chronically
Sometimes will say a word that sounds similar: show them a comb, they may say camel
May also attempt circumlocution: talking around something . E.g. If you don't know an actress's
name, you mention the movies she was in or who she is married to or her physical description
Problem will be NOUNS, but VERBS will be perfectly fine
Can use the same word in a sentence as a verb but cannot come up with noun. E.g. comb
scenario: they say you use it to comb your hair, but do NOT say it is a comb
Easier a word is, the easier it is to name (e.g. dog is easier than astronaut)
Problems with abstraction: "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones " if you say this to
someone with anomia they do NOT understand what it really means
Also problems with perseveration: Cannot come up with something, they will try to talk around
but they may be stuck.
Show them scisso
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