Neural Substrates of Speech, Language & Hearing

These flashcards cover the key concepts and terms from the lecture on neural substrates of speech, language, and hearing.

What is the main difference between speech and language?

Speech is a MOTOR act that is the verbal expression of language, while language is the underlying structure that specifies sounds, their combinations, and meaning.

What are the key components involved in speech production?

Speech production involves intent, emotion, executive function, motor execution, auditory feedback, and respiratory coordination.

What are the four levels of the motor speech system?

Conceptual level, Linguistic planning level, Motor planning/programming level, Motor control circuits.

Which brain areas are primarily involved in the conceptual level of speech?

The prefrontal cortex and limbic system are primarily involved at the conceptual level.

What does the linguistic planning level involve?

It involves linguistic planning (content, form, use) and motor planning (arrangements of phonemes).

What is the effect of damage to the direct motor pathway on speech?

Damage can result in conditions like Apraxia of Speech, Spastic Dysarthria, and Flaccid Dysarthria.

What are the hallmark characteristics of Hypokinetic Dysarthria?

Reduced vocal volume and small articulatory movements.

What is required for auditory language comprehension?

Information is processed from the cochlea to the cochlear nuclear complex, then to the thalamus, primary auditory cortex, Wernicke's area, and Broca's area for syntax.

What is the definition of aphasia?

An acquired multimodality language disorder that affects multiple modalities, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

What type of aphasia is characterized by non-fluent speech and comprehension difficulties?

Global aphasia.

What is agraphia?

An acquired disorder of writing that can be categorized into peripheral (due to visuospatial issues) and central (due to damage in the writing system).

What types of damage can lead to fluent aphasia?

Damage typically occurs in areas like Wernicke's area and other related cortical regions.

Describe the role of sensory input in speech production.

Sensory input, including auditory and proprioceptive feedback, is crucial for self-monitoring one's speech and coordinating motor activity.