Language Organisation in the Brain - PSYC5015

Vocabulary flashcards for key terms and concepts related to language organization in the brain as discussed in the PSYC5015 lecture.

Anatomo-clinical method

A method of studying patients with acquired language impairment by correlating behavioral deficits with brain damage post-mortem.

Neuroimaging

Techniques that allow the study of brain-function relationships in vivo, including morphological and functional methods.

Aphasia

Language disorders resulting from damage to language areas in the brain affecting language expression and comprehension.

Broca's aphasia

Also known as expressive or non-fluent aphasia; characterized by non-fluent speech and good comprehension.

Wernicke's aphasia

Also known as receptive or fluent aphasia; speech production is fluent but lacks meaning, comprehension is severely impaired.

Conduction aphasia

Aphasia characterized by impaired repetition and normal comprehension; often results from damage in the arcuate fasciculus.

Global aphasia

Severe language impairment affecting both speaking and comprehension due to extensive brain damage.

Agrammatism

Difficulty in producing syntactically well-formed sentences, often characterized by telegraphic speech.

Paraphasia

Errors in word production, where an incorrect word is used instead of the intended one.

Neologistic paraphasias

Invention and use of new, nonsensical words in speech.

Semantic paraphasias

Substituting a word with a related meaning, e.g. 'sister' for 'daughter'.

Phonemic paraphasias

Substitutions or rearrangements of sounds in the target word, e.g. 'scoon' for 'spoon'.

N400

A negative component of the event-related potential occurring 300-500 ms after presentation of a semantically anomalous stimulus.

P600

A positive component observed in event-related potentials associated with syntactically incorrect or complex sentences.

Event-related potentials (ERPs)

Electrical potentials generated in response to specific stimuli; useful for studying language processing in real time.

Right temporal lobe

Area where Wernicke's area is located, crucial for language comprehension.

Left inferior frontal gyrus

Area known as Broca's area, essential for language production.

Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA)

Commonly known as a stroke, often a cause of aphasia due to disruption of blood flow to the brain.

Acquired language disorder

Language impairments resulting from brain injury, illness, or surgery, in contrast to developmental disorders.

Auditory comprehension

The ability to understand spoken language, involving complex processing of sounds and words.

Fluent speech

Speech that is produced quickly and easily with appropriate expression.

Non-fluent speech

Speech that is slow, effortful, and lacking normal expression.

Telegraphic speech

A simplified form of speech that includes only essential content words, omitting function words.

Neuroimaging techniques

Methods like fMRI, PET, and MEG that visualize brain activity and structure during cognitive tasks.

Pure alexia

Acondition where written language comprehension is lost while auditory comprehension remains intact.

Visual Word Form Area (VWFA)

The brain area assumed to store orthographic representations underlying reading and spelling.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

A neuroimaging technique that measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

A non-invasive method used to stimulate small regions of the brain, often used in cognitive research.

Morphological methods

Neuroimaging techniques that visualize brain structures, like CAT and MRI.

Phonology

The study of sounds in language and their combination.

Semantics

The study of meaning in language.

Syntax

The set of rules that govern the structure of sentences.

Lexical access

The process of retrieving and understanding the meanings of words.

Behavioral deficits

Difficulties in performing tasks that can indicate the affected areas of the brain.

Electrical potentials

Measurements of electrical activity in the brain, recorded to study neural responses to stimuli.

Acquired inability to read

A loss of reading ability resulting from brain injury, also known as alexia.

Speech production

The clear and effective articulation of speech, involving phonological and grammatical knowledge.

Word retrieval difficulties

Challenges in accessing the correct word to express an idea, common in various types of aphasia.

Understanding language

The comprehension of spoken and written forms of language, requiring phonological and semantic processing.

Syntax errors

Mistakes in the arrangement of words and phrases that affect the grammatical correctness of sentences.

Sentence repetition

The ability to correctly repeat sentences, often impaired in conduction aphasia.

Cognitive processes

Mental activities involved in acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.

Neuropsychology

The study of the relationship between brain function and behavior, particularly through examining individuals with brain injuries.

Nomenclature in neuroimaging

The system of naming brain areas and functions as seen through various imaging techniques.

Cognitive neuroscience

A field that studies the biological processes that underlie cognition, with a focus on the neural connections in the brain.

Damage to language areas

Refers to injury in specific regions of the brain responsible for language processing, leading to aphasia.

Task performance

The ability to carry out a given task, often assessed to identify impairment in cognitive function.